Last Glass of Poison
by Darkryt Orbinautz
Summary: Everybody is suspicious of Rarity and her relationship with Rainbow Dash. They want to prove she's guilty. But when games of seduction with far-reaching and personal consequences begin playing in the shadows, Rarity may be their best hope. Sequel to A Poison Most Intimate. Warnings: Lactation, Transformation, Tentacles.
1. Treatment

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 1**

**Treatment  
**

* * *

_CASE FILE NAME: "THE PIPE SLIME INCIDENT"_

_REPORT FILED BY: FLASH SENTRY_

_Suspect RARITY BELLE has been discovered to be the source of a mysterious ailment that has been afflicting the town of Ponyville. The process is called "infection," and is passed through drugged white poisons. Drinking this poison OR swallowing gobs of "slime," produced from the pores of the "infected's" body renders the effects of being rendered a docile, easily controlled pseudo-zombie (in males) or turning into an extremely lustful crazy person obsessed with spreading the infection to as many people as possible (in females). Known infectees include RARITY BELLE, FLUTTERSHY, APPLEJACK, RAINBOW "DANGER" DASH, AND TWILIGHT SPARKLE, as well as the entire young adult population of Ponyville._

_The "infection" worked two ways: with infectees either becoming addicted to the narcotic-laced poison. OR by applying a "slug" made of the "slime" which nestled within the victim's stomach like a parasite, and proceeded to override all signals to the brain and reprogram them into different signals._

_Discovery was made that subject RARITY BELLE was, in fact, being manipulated and controlled by a creature called THE PIPE SLIME, called such because its method of infection caused the aforementioned lactation. It did this to the subject and used the subject to infect others in the same for . . . reasons that were not made entirely clear before the creature's destruction._

_SPECULATION: The Pipe Slime desired to take over Equestria, as was the motivation of THE CHANGELING QUEEN in the past._

_Thankfully, PRINCESS MI AMORA CADENZA and PRINCE SHINING ARMOR were able to get RARITY BELLE to cooperate and lead them to the PIPE SLIME'S lair, where the combined efforts of PRINCESS CADENZA, TWILIGHT SPARKLE, and SHINING ARMOR the PIPE SLIME was frozen and shattered into a million pieces beyond recovery. The psychic feedback from its death caused all the parasite-slugs to evict themselves from their hosts and merge into the creature that came to be called THE SPARKSLIME, after its sparkly sheen. Mercifully, this creature was also frozen and shattered beyond repair._

_In the aftermath, PRINCESS CADENZA arranged for psychiatric therapy for all of the affected victims, including the entire population of Ponyville and RARITY BELLE._

Shining Armor held the report in his hand, signing as he brushed his other hand over his head, as if to wipe away the memories of that terrible affair. He knew nothing in the report was made up, that it was entirely accurate. Everything in it was true. Rarity, Twilight, the poison, the slime – dear Celestia almighty, the slime. Even though it had been ten years since that ordeal, he remembered the events like it had been yesterday.

No, scratch that, he remembered it like it had been ten minutes ago. Maybe five.

Placing the file down on his office desk, he shoved it away and made to review the remaining old reports in the pile on his desk.

* * *

Elsewhere in Ponyville, bespectacled Silver Lens was on a chair with the window blinds turned down for the least amount of sunlight. Sure, a therapy session might want to have light to keep the subjects comfortable, but Silver Lens found they could speak more freely when the dark concealed her face, so it was like they were talking to an impartial nothing instead of a judging, note-taking shrink. She had her clipboard out with her pencil tapping against the wood of the board. Noticing her nervous tic, she stopped herself.

Today, she was scheduled to talk with Twilight's group. It had been a decade since that incident that led to them meeting for the first time. It was ten years ago that Cadence had set Silver Lens up to be their therapist in Ponyville.

She didn't mind dealing with their quirks. She was a therapist. People with quirks were a risk in the business.

She would go over a few routine questions with the girls every so often, to make sure they were coping well. To see whether they were hiding scars instead of healing them. To be sure their minds were in one piece and at peace.

"How do you feel when you think about … what happened?" Lens would ask. "How did you feel when you were nursing your own friends?" She'd say.

Their responses were the same each time.

"Motherly." Fluttershy would bashfully admit.

"Embarrassed." Twilight would say point-blank. "But it did feel kinda nice, like pressure relief."

"It was okay. It wasn't their fault they were all goopy-loopy. HA! Get it? Goop? Because it's a slime, see?" Pinkie would joke.

"Good practice for when Ah become a mom, Ah guess." Applejack would figure, tilting her head to the side.

"Nice to be on the other side." Rainbow Dash would say.

Then there was Rarity. Rarity would say nothing. She would cross her arms, sit in Silver Lens' couch because she was required to, and remain silent. Every time, Silver Lens would take her glasses off, twirl them, and ask Rarity the same question again.

"Rarity, are we really going to play this game?" Silver Lens would ask, knowing full well the answer would be "Yes." That is, if Rarity would bother to answer at all instead of being silent the length of their conversation.

"Rarity, we can't get anywhere if you won't let me in." Rarity met her with a turn of her head. Silver Lens sighed, running her fingers over the temples of her head.

Every time, Silver Lens would ask.

"Rarity, why won't you let me in?"

Each time, Rarity gave her a glare.

"Because I … am fine." Rarity growled. "Because I have no need for a shrink poking around my personal thoughts. Because my mind is a private place and _you_ … are not invited."

With that, Rarity would get up and walk out. Silver Lens sighed, like every time, and laid her clipboard across her lap while wondering what could to do to get Rarity to let her in. To talk about what happened. To let Silver Lens become her friend rather than her enemy. To get Rarity to trust her.

To get Rarity to _trust, _period.

* * *

The door clicked as Rarity entered her house, irritable and tired after her appointment with Silver Lens that mostly involved her staying still and repeating things she said before in the vain hope they would stick this time.

Rainbow Dash was there, having finished her appointment before Rarity. She was overseeing Rarity's sister, Sweetie Belle eating a healthy lunch in a bowl. Rainbow Dash noticed Rarity coming in.

Dash looked at Rarity and saw in an instant how stressed she was. Rainbow Dash sighed and wrapped her arm around Rarity's shoulder. "Same as always?"

"Same as always."

Rarity and Rainbow Dash left the kitchen. Sweetie Belle stopped eating and listened to them. Their feet on the stairs, their hands sliding on the guard rails and finally, the click of the lock on the door to their bedroom.

Sweetie Belle got up from the table and went up the stairs. She stood in front of the door in quiet contemplation. She pressed her ear against the door, pressing one hand on it while she fiddled with the knob with the other. Eventually, Sweetie succeeded in picking the lock. With delicate care, she gently moved the door inwards, cracking just barely enough for her to peek inside at what Rarity and Rainbow Dash were doing.

They did this every time after an appointment with Silver Lens. Rarity would come home, upset, and Dash would guide her to their bedroom. Recently, they forgot to lock the door one time, and Sweetie Belle accidentally peered in on what they were doing.

She was mesmerized by it. Rarity had taken the top of her dress off and let Rainbow Dash ravage her. Sweetie Belle wasn't certain what they were doing, but it looked amazing, and they were definitely enjoying it, going from the smiles on their faces. Sweetie figured out to lock the door so she could spy on them.

Sweetie Belle wasn't sure why, but … recently, she had been looking at her friend, Scootaloo, differently. Sweetie Belle had been thinking about Scootaloo differently, and she had been thinking she'd like Scootaloo to do to her what Rainbow Dash was doing to Rarity. She wanted it. Whatever it was.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity had been living together for awhile now. But for some reason, whenever Sweetie Belle tried to talk about it, or mention to her friends, Rarity and Rainbow Dash would shush her and make her stop. Rainbow Dash took Sweetie Belle out for playdates, to lunch, and even helped Rarity with dinner every night, almost like a second big sister. But Rarity and Rainbow Dash would make sure she kept silent about it, like Rainbow Dash living here was a crime or something.

Sweetie Belle didn't know. She didn't know, ten years ago, Rarity's friends came at her and Rainbow Dash leveling accusations of – of – of abuse. Of domestic abuse. It was impossible to tell how much of it was just Rarity being her naturally manipulative self and how much was the Pipe Slime's infection driving her to be a temperamental beast. It was for that reason they kept it a secret. It was for that reason Rarity did her damnedest to be sure none of their friends out about Rainbow living with her.

They didn't understand. They would say it was a coping mechanic for dealing with the Pipe Slime's trauma, but it was so much more than that. Not that their friends would ever, ever believe them. So Rarity made sure they didn't know. They couldn't know.

Not now, not ever.

Sweetie Belle sighed, still wishing to have Scootaloo do whatever it was. It had to be good, given the smiles Rainbow Dash and Rarity wore while they were doing it and for several minutes after they were done. Maybe having Scootaloo do it once would help Sweetie Belle learn what it was, and then she could decide if it was as good as she hoped.

Sweetie Belle gasped, noticing Rainbow Dash detach and Rarity pull her top back on. Before they could step out and realize she was observing, Sweetie Belle scurried down the stairs and back to the kitchen. She was in the middle of seating herself the way she was before Dash and Rarity left when she stopped, thinking a drink would go perfect with her lunch. Sweetie Belle went to the fridge and looked inside.

"Hmm." Nothing that was in there really sounded good. Milk, some juices … Sweetie saw an unusual bottle she didn't recognize behind the cartons. Shoving the juices to the side, Sweetie reached in and grabbed it. It was a water bottle filled with white fluid. Written on it in black marker were the words "WHITE POISON. DO NOT DRINK."

Sweetie Belle wiggled the bottle, trying to figure out what it was.

"Sweetie Belle!"

Sweetie Belle saw Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

"What are you doing with that?" Rarity asked. Her voice sounded like she was willing to listen to Sweetie Belle, but would murder her if her explanation was displeasing to Rarity in any way.

"Well, I saw it in the back of the fridge, and I didn't know what it was, so I picked it up to see." Sweetie Belle replied.

Rarity exhaled sharply, blinked, and chuckled. She took the bottle from Sweetie Belle and put it back in the fridge. "Sweetie Belle, there's a reason the bottle is labeled "poison." I'm … keeping it for a friend."

Rarity, like any liar worth their salt, knew the best lies were the ones with bits of truth in them, and it was technically true. She was keeping it for a friend … even if that "friend" was a rainbow-haired woman standing three feet away in the doorway.

"They'll be around to pick it up in a few days." Rarity said. "Please don't touch it again."

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Okay, Rarity. I won't. I promise."

After the day ended and they all went to sleep, Sweetie Belle woke up earlier than usual. Cursing this unusual burst of morning energy, she went down to the kitchen to get breakfast.

She stumbled upon Rainbow Dash getting into the poison bottle and drinking it from it.

"Rainbow Dash?" Sweetie asked, startling Rainbow Dash, as she nearly dropped the bottle and slammed her body into the sink before correcting herself. "Are you drinking the white poison?"

Rainbow Dash looked at the bottle, then back to Sweetie Belle. "Yes. Yes, I am."

"Rarity said it was marked as poison for a reason!"

Rainbow Dash shifted her eyes. "Yes ..."

"The bottle's marked "do not drink!""

"It is." Rainbow Dash said.

Sweetie Belle crossed her arms like an upset, uncertain mother. "Rainbow Dash, what are we gonna do?"

"I'll tell you." Rarity said, appearing behind Sweetie Belle like a summoned ghost and putting her hands on Sweetie Belle's shoulders. "We are going to put the bottle back, and I am going to take Rainbow Dash to the hospital." Rarity gently shifted Sweetie Belle to the side and went to Rainbow Dash, taking the bottle and once again placing it back in the fridge. Rarity wrapped her hands around Dash and steered her outside.

Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder at the door as Rarity continued pushing her out.

"Thanks for the save." Rainbow Dash said.

"You're welcome." Rarity said, tensing her teeth. "But you must be more careful, darling. We can't have Sweetie Belle knowing about this."

Rarity continued walking Rainbow Dash. Sweetie Belle looked out the door at them.

When they were safely out of sight, Sweetie Belle retreated into the house, stole the bottle from the fridge, and sprinted to Sweet Apple Orchards.

Out in the fields, Applejack was working hard as she usually did, pounding the trees to make the apples fall and occasionally rooting out the unwelcome weed when she saw Sweetie Belle hurrying towards her.

"Hey there, pardner!" Applejack waved Sweetie Belle over, taking the girl into her arms. "Wut's got y'all so worked up? Ya look like a rattlesnake bit ya!"

Sweetie Belle huffed and puffed, exhausted from her exercise.

"Eh, why don't y'all sit down with Apple Bloom and have a drink? You know, catch yer breath. Go on." Applejack moved Sweetie Belle in the direction of the house with a reassuring smack on her back. Sweetie Belle went inside and found Apple Bloom at a vanity, doing her hair up with her pink bow.

"Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "Wut are y'all doin' over at mah house so early in the mornin'?"

Sweetie Belle, still out of breath, gestured to her throat and made a gulping motion.

"Y'all want a drink? Why didn't ya jus' say so?"

Sweetie Belle tried to say something, only for a dehydrated cough to come out instead.

"Point taken." Apple Bloom said, getting up. Apple Bloom had Sweetie Belle accompany her to the dining table and poured some orange juice for them. After the refreshingly cool citrus made her throat all nice and damp again, Sweetie Belle cleared her throat and slammed her cup down.

"So, wut's got y'all so worked up?" Apple Bloom asked. "Yer not even usually up til like, another hour."

Sweetie Belle held up the bottle. "It's this."

"'Kay. Wut's this?"

"Some kind of poison, I guess." Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head. "At least, that's what Rarity called it. Rainbow Dash drank some of it, so they went to the hospital."

"Oh no!"

"She'll be fine. I got her before she drank a whole lot of it. But Rarity's been acting really weird whenever I pick it up. I mean, she almost acts like it's something she doesn't want me to have."

"Well, ya should put it back wherever y'all found out, then!" Apple Bloom said. "It's not right to take somethin' of yer sister's without asking!"

"I know, but ..."

"Besides, wut could be so bad about milk, anyway?" Apple Bloom asked, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"Wait, milk?" Sweetie asked.

"Eeyup. That right there? As far as Ah can see, it's just a regular bottle of plain-jane old milk. It's nothing to get mad over. Ah mean, we all drink milk, don't we?"

"Sorry it took so long, y'all." Applejack said, the door squeaking as she entered. "A few of them weeds jus' wouldn't quit. Ah took so long and still couldn't git 'em all."

"Oh!" Apple Bloom put her cup down and put her hands together. "Can Ah do it, sis? Can Ah? Ah haven't been helpin' around wit' tha chores as much as Ah should have been lately ..."

Applejack considered it. She went to Apple Bloom and patted her shoulder. "Shore."

Apple Bloom's eyes shimmered. "Ya mean it? For serious?"

"Shore. Y'all are a big girl now, Bloom. Y'all can do chores by yourself. Go on." Apple Bloom ran out of the house to do the chores while Applejack took her seat by Sweetie Belle.

"So," Applejack asked, pouring her own cup of juice, "wut seems to the tha' problem, sugarcube?"

Sweetie Belle held up the bottle. "Rarity's been keeping this in her fridge. Rainbow Dash drank it today, and Rarity wasn't upset about it, but she was upset that I found it in the fridge yesterday. What does it mean?"

"Wait ..." Applejack narrowed her eyes at the bottle. "Lemme see that ..." She took the bottle from Sweetie Belle and scrutinized it. She popped the lid off and smelled it.

"That two-timin' … Ah thought she stopped this."

"What? What is it? Did Rarity do something wrong!?" Sweetie Belle screamed.

Applejack declined to answer. "Can Ah hold on to this? Ah'll bring it to Rarity right quick later."

"Okay … I guess." Sweetie Belle muttered. Rarity would probably be upset to learn that Sweetie had stolen the bottle and given it to Applejack, but at least this way, Applejack could hopefully talk Rarity down from being too angry with Sweetie Belle.

"Good, good." Applejack muttered, setting the bottle aside. She stared off in the distance like she was having an out-of-body experience.

"Uh, Applejack? Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, Ah'm fine. Say, y'all need anything else before ya go?"

"Um, yes, actually." Sweetie Belle put her hands together and turned away bashfully.

"Wut it is? C'mon, Sweetie Belle. How am Ah supposed tah help ya if y'all don't tell me wut's wrong?"

Sweetie Belle took in a deep breath.

"Applejack, how do I … make … girls like me?"

Applejack raised her eyebrow. "Uh, ya be nice and polite to them?"

"No, I mean … let's say there's a specific girl. And let's say I want to make her … _really_ like me. How do I do that?"

Applejack stared blankly before realizing what Sweetie Belle meant. "Gosh, Sweetie Belle, Ah don't really think Ah'm the one to talk to about that sort of thing. Maybe ya should ask Twilight?"

"Okay." Sweetie Belle finished her orange juice and left the table. "Thanks." She left the house.

Applejack smiled, content that her advice was enough to set Sweetie Belle on the right path. That smile quickly faded when she looked at the bottle. She picked it up and squeezed it. It got to the point where she squeezed it so hard, the bottle crumpled, the lid was forced off from the pressure, and the milk inside splattered all over the bottle's sides and her hands. Applejack dropped the bottle and shook her hand like the liquid was a flesh-rending acid. After collecting herself and realizing her skin was fine, Applejack scowled, picking up the bottle. She forced the lid back onto the crushed container.

She would be having a talk with Rarity, oh yes …

* * *

"RARITY BELLE!"

Rarity, folding laundry at her table, merely turned to the door to watch Applejack storm inside her house with only the barest hint of curiosity. Applejack stood in the doorway, huffing and fuming like a bull ready to charge.

Rarity continued folding.

"Yes, Applejack ..." Rarity said, multi-tasking. "You know, it's funny, I don't think I've ever learned your last name. I suppose it might as well be "Apple," wouldn't it? Let's try this again. Yes, Applejack Apple?"

"Explain _this_." Applejack said, holding up the bottle for Rarity. Rarity gave it a disaffected look like a parent too tired to really involve themselves in whatever their child was trying to show them.

"It's a bottle, but how it got crumpled like that … I have no idea." Rarity answered sharply, folding some pants legs over. "Applejack." She added as a one-word accusation of Applejack being the one to crush the bottle.

"Y'all told me and the rest of the girls y'all would stop this!"

"Stop what?"

"Don't play dumb wit' me, Rarity!"

Applejack made a determined frown.

"You've been breastfeedin' Rainbow Dash again, haven't you?"

"Oh, really?" Rarity's voice was airy, not taking this as seriously as Applejack would like her to. "What evidence do you have to support this theory?"

Applejack leveled the bottle at her. "Sweetie Belle brought this around to mah barn'. She said you were keeping it in your fridge and that Rainbow Dash drank some this mornin'! She said you were takin' Dash to the hospital, but fer sum reason, Ah got a feeling that ain't what happened."

Rarity happily sighed like a princess pining for her prince. "It is so nice to be in touch with our feelings, isn't it?"

"Knock it off, Rarity! We both know wut's really goin' on, so why don't you just admit the truth?"

"And implicate myself?" Rarity asked. "No thank you. Applejack …" Rarity threw down the shirt in her hand. "All you can prove is that Sweetie Belle took the bottle from my fridge. Anything else is, well, speculation! Certainly not enough to convince a jury, let alone our friends."

"Not true! Ah can git Shining Armor to do his fancy finger-printin' thang and prove Rainbow Dash's fingers were on it?"

Rarity turned to Applejack, smiling deviously.

"And what will that prove?"

Applejack faltered. Yes, she could get it to prove Rainbow Dash's hands on were on the bottle, and probably Rarity's as well, but that wouldn't prove anything. There was nothing to say Rainbow Dash didn't simply drink the original contents of the bottle and then the milk was added in later.

"And ..." Applejack stammered. "And Ah can prove that there's milk in the bottle?"

Rarity bent over, placing her elbows on the table and holding her head up with her hands. "To what end?"

"To tha' end of gettin' Shining Armor tah arrest y'all for feeding Rainbow Dash!"

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Applejack, breastfeeding is not a criminal offense. Well, I suppose that's not entirely true. Some places will put you under arrest if you breastfeed in public for public indecency – now that's a criminal charge. And besides that, you have nothing to prove I'm doing as you say. All you have is a bottle, fingerprints, and Sweetie Belle's word. Hardly enough to convince anyone, save perhaps Shining Armor."

Rarity folded a shirt. "Don't forget Sweetie Belle's birthday is coming up."

"Yeah, Ah know."

Applejack, seeing she wasn't going to get a straight answer out of Rarity, turned to leave.

"Oh, and Applejack? If Shining Armor or his brutes come to my house, I _will _file for police harassment."

Applejack stopped to look back at Rarity, but she was already back to folding laundry and humming pleasantly. Applejack sighed and walked into the kitchen.

Applejack held the bottle up. Shaking her head, she figured she may as well give it back and placed it on Rarity's kitchen counter before leaving.

Hearing the bell of the front entrance ring, Rarity dropped the article of laundry she was holding and peeked into the kitchen. After confirming Applejack was gone, she walked up to the bottle and grabbed it.

She sighed. The bottle had been grabbed, stolen, beaten and drained to a quarter of its contents. Muttering about getting a new bottle, she uncorked the lid and poured its contents down the sink. It might have still been safe for consumption, but better safe than sorry. Besides …

She could always make more.

After draining the bottle and tossing in the trash, Rarity went up to the bedroom. Locking the door, she went to her dresser and got on her knees to pull out the lowest drawer. She rummaged through it, feeling what was inside before she felt the familiar touch of what she was looking for. Shoving everything else – things like spools of fabric, sewing needles, her sleeping mask – aside, Rarity pulled out a piece of papyrus. As well as a wooden mortar and pestle, a wood bowl, and glass vials full of herbs, plant trimmings and petals.

Lying everything out on her dresser, Rarity got to work. First, she placed the papyrus down and unfolded it, revealing hidden sections on the inside full of instructions almost like … a recipe.

"Tear these petals to appropriate size, stir these ..." Rarity muttered as she went about following the instructions. She put some of the plants into the pestle and crushed them, then left to the kitchen to boil some water. Getting that done, she returned, pouring the water into the bowl and then mixing the plants into it. A few minutes later, the plants had soaked themselves into nothing more than tiny pieces, and the water was swampy green color. Taking a different mix of the plants, Rarity ground them up as well and dumped them into the green solution. She stirred them constantly for the next several minutes, until they started absorbing the water. Once that was done, she took the pestle and ground them again, eventually resulting in a fine, white powder that resembled salt.

Now done, Rarity put her hands on the counter. It would be awhile before Rainbow Dash returned from her job at the weather factory, but she would be so happy to see that Rarity had made a fresh batch of the powder.

The powder … the powder was something she developed, with the help of their good friend Zecora, who was a master with herbs. While under the influence of the Pipe Slime, Rarity grew to love, love, love the feeling of being nursed ... She loved it. She needed it.

So badly. And when the Pipe Slime went away, and she stopped producing … she stopped having Rainbow Dash's favorite drink all lined up and ready to go … it was too much for Rarity. She had to have it back. So she went to Zecora's, did some studies, got the tribal woman's help, and developed this recipe. This recipe for powder, which, with one spoonful taken orally, would cause her to produce again, just like she did before the Slime's destruction.

Rarity thought about what she said to Sweetie Belle. It was true. She was keeping the "white poison" for a friend. Specifically Rainbow Dash.

Looking at the powder, Rarity sighed. Something was wrong with her, and she knew it. Silver Lens knew it, too. Her friends would know, too, if it ever got out she had this miracle powder. That was why she was so uncooperative to Silver Lens and two-faced with Applejack.

She didn't want to admit it.

* * *

When Rainbow Dash returned from work, Rarity's first and only idea was to take her along for a trip to the spa. Rainbow Dash tried to complain about that was "too girly" for her, but Rarity was having none of it and forcibly dragged her out of the house. Along the way, they bumped into Applejack, Apple Bloom, Twilight Sparkle, and Sweetie Belle.

"Applejack! Twilight! Fancy running into you." Rarity said, tilting her brow to show her suspicion.

"I was just taking Sweetie Belle home." Applejack said. "Ran into Twi on the way, so Ah brought her along. That's not a crime, is it?"

"I suppose not." Rarity said. "Have you and Twilight talked about anything?"

"Yes, actually." Twilight said. "I've been thinking … it's almost time for … the ten-year anniversary of when the Pipe Slime infected you and Rainbow Dash."

Rarity much preferred thinking of it as the anniversary of her relationship with Rainbow Dash, but that was private, so she motioned for Twilight to continue.

"When we went to the cave in the Everfree Forest, you said something about Celestia making the Pipe Slime." Twilight said. "I didn't think about it at the time, since you were, you know, infected and crazy. But with the anniversary coming up, I've been thinking about it a lot and ...I want to ask the Princess about it."

"Good for you." Rarity said. "Let me know if you find anything interesting. Now, if you'll excuse me, I was on my way to the spa."

Applejack glared at Rarity as she and Rainbow Dash walked by. "Don't forget to meet up wit' tha rest of the girls on the anniversary."

"I won't, provided you don't forget Sweetie Belle's birthday."

"Oh my gosh!" Apple Bloom clasped her cheeks in surprise. "That is comin' up, isn't it? Sis!" Apple Bloom grabbed Applejack's hand and pulled her away. "Ah still need tah git a present fer her!"

Twilight shook her head, smiling. "Ah, still a little kid at heart. Right, Rarity? Rarity?" Twilight looked around to see Rarity and Rainbow Dash were gone. "I guess it's just you and me now, Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Belle was gone, probably returning to her house on her own. Twilight was frustrated. Apparently nobody wanted to hang out with her. "Hmph."

* * *

Reaching the spa, Rarity quickly paid for a soak. She couldn't wait to get into the water and relax with Rainbow Dash. They disrobed, wrapped towels around their hair, and went into the hot tub, sitting next to each other in the soothingly warm water.

"Aah ..." Rarity sighed, wrapping an arm around Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "Just what the doctor ordered, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I guess it is." Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and leaned on Rarity, gently resting her arms across Rarity's chest and shoulders. "Hey ..." Rainbow Dash dug her arm into Rarity's cleavage, noticing something off about it.

"What is up with your ..." Rainbow Dash brought her hand under the water and felt Rarity's breast. Dash cooed. "Oooh! You made some fresh powder! You're the best."

Rainbow Dash curled her fingers around Rarity's head and gave her a kiss on the lips. They simply laid there with smiles on, before Rainbow Dash dived forward and attempted to put her mouth on Rarity's chest.

"No, no." Rarity placed her hands on the sides of Rainbow's face and lifted her head up, away from the source. "As lovely as it would be to try doing it underwater, this is a family establishment, Rainbow Dash. You can wait until we get home, can't you?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. She laid back against the tile and closed her eyes, simply taking in the water. Rarity did the same. At least, until a shadow fell over her, looming over like some vast, impatient decrepit vulture.

"Whoever you are, go away." Rarity said, not bothering to open her eyes. "You're blocking my light."

"Cute, Miss Belle." A haughty voice answered. "I am an elected official and will not be spoken to that way."

Rarity opened her eyes. The woman rudely casting her shadow on the hot tub was an old woman, with blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing a purple business suit. She held pen and clipboard.

"What do you want?" Rarity asked.

"My name is Inspector Harshwhinny." The woman said. "I have been sent to ask you a few questions."

"Let me save you some time and answer all of them at once." Rarity said. "Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash flicked her hand at Harshwhinny. "Buzz off."

"I don't think you understand who I am." Harshwhinny said. "Disrespecting me is likely to cost you."

"I'll take my chances."

"Nevertheless, I cannot leave until I have asked and answered these following questions." Harshwhinny said.

Rarity sighed. "Very well. If it will expedite you leaving us to our soak, then I suppose I'll answer them."

"Question one." Harshwhinny said. "We've gone over our bills over the last few months, and we've noticed a trend of Rainbow Dash paying steadily less on her house mortgage. Why is that, we wonder?"

Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at each other, both of them surprised. They knew someone at the company might notice Rainbow Dash paying less, but they didn't think there would be questions about it. They were planning on having Rainbow Dash pack up and move in to Rarity's home soon. She was effectively living there for ten years, only sometimes returning to her old house for a weeks or months to keep the others from knowing. Might as well have her move in and make it official.

"I don't know anything about that." Rarity lied. "Probably just Rainbow Dash being irresponsible again. Next question?"

"Hmm." Harshwhinny jotted something on her clipboard. "Question two. Are you in a relationship with Rainbow Dash?"

Rarity got suspicious. "No. No, why?"

"Hmm." Harshwhinny wrote something down again. "Final question ..."

Harshwhinny put her clipboard aside.

"Are you breastfeeding Rainbow Dash?"

Rarity lost it. She jumped out from the tub and went at Harshwhinny. "Who sent you? Was it Applejack? Maybe Shining Armor? Celestia forbid that they trust me when I tell them no!"

"Answer the question, Miss Belle."

"No, Miss Harshwhinny, I am not feeding Rainbow Dash." Rarity said.

"Inspector Harshwhinny."

Rarity crossed her arms, sinking back into the hot tub. "Well, either way, I'm not feeding her, we're not in a relationship, and you can just crawl back into your cubicle where you belong."

Harshwhinny narrowed her eyes.

"This isn't over, Miss Belle."

""Isn't over?" Are you threatening me, MISS Harshwhinny? I don't respond well to being threatened."

"Merely informing you of the facts, dear." Harshwhinny answered before leaving.

Rarity snarled. Rainbow Dash came over to comfort her. "Hey. Hey, it's okay. They still can't prove anything yet. Just sit in the tub and relax." Rarity exhaled and did as Rainbow Dash.

"That's it." Dash encouraged. "Just sit back and let the water wash over you …" Rainbow Dash scooped up some water in her hand and drizzled it over Rarity. "There. Isn't that better?"

Rarity nodded, smiling before a frown overtook her face.

"Oh." Dash groaned.

"Let's … see if we can't clean that up ourselves before staff arrives, shall we, darling?"

* * *

Twilight paced nervously back and forth in the foyer of her house. She was worried over how Celestia might react to the letter she sent her. Would she be mad? Upset? Sad? Embarrassed and humiliated?

Spike stood by her side, waiting for the Princess' reply. Spike was a half-dragon, magically enchanted to send and receive letters by his dragon breath.

"Twilight, don't worry! I'm sure the Princess will understand."

"Will she, Spike? WILL SHE?"

Twilight, when she panicked about possibly displeasing the Princess, was known for being able to rationalize all sorts of crazy things that the Princess would do as a punishment to her. Despite that the Princess had never shown any sign of ever wanting to punish her when she could talk to her instead and smooth things out.

A burst of flame came out from Spike in a burp. The fire quickly formed into a letter, which Twilight snatched out of the air before Spike could say anything. Twilight opened it and read it.

Twilight was expecting the Princess to say many things … experience almost any emotion when she heard Twilight had encountered a living mistake from her youth. Twilight imagined her being mad at it, embarrassed by it, enraged by it.

Being amused by it was not something Twilight was expecting.

_Dear Twilight Sparkle, _

_I would be more than happy for you to come over and discuss the origins of the Pipe Slime. I remember that day well. It caused quite a commotion amongst my babysitters! I'll never forget the looks on their face. It was hilarious! Perhaps I should have a commission painted to immortalize them for future generations to laugh at._

"Princess Celestia ...had babysitters?" Twilight was mystified. "She had a childhood?"

"Oh, yeah. Who know that the Princess had a regular childhood just like the rest of us?" Spike said dryly.

"Knock off it, Spike." Twilight snapped, rolling up the letter and placing it aside. "Go get ready to vist Canterlot."

* * *

Arriving by chariot to Celestia's castle, Twilight was hesitant to go inside. Spike nudged her shoulder and encouraged her inside. After finally getting her to enter through the doors, Twilight was immediately distracted by a woman with silvery hair running past them out the doors.

"Hey ..." Twilight said, noticing the blur. "I think I know her ..."

"Uph Uph Uph!" Spike scolded, grabbing Twilight's arm and scooting her across the hall. "It can wait until after we see the Princess." Spike continued to drag her across the hall, heading straight for the throne room. After passing several doors, they were stopped by a guard.

"Excuse me?" The guard said, raising hand at them. "Where are you two going?"

"To see the Princess." Spike answered. "Why?"

The guard bowed. He pointed his spear the door he was guarding. "Princess Celestia is awaiting her student Twilight Sparkle in there. She's had the chefs make tea and cake for you."

Twilight looked to Spike. "Tea and cake?"

Spike shrugged. "I don't know, but you go on ahead." Spike smacked her back, pusing her forward. He pointed at his chest. "I'm going to visit Doughnut Joe's." Twilight attempted to scold him for ditching her, but Spike scurried off.

Twilight sighed. She went inside the room. It was painted a floral white pattern. There was a table with three seats, cake, a kettle, and tiny plates. Princess Celestia herself was sitting down, sipping a teacup.

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia said, pleased. "Come in. Sit down. Where's Spike?"

"He left. To go to Doughnut Joe's." Twilight couldn't keep her irritation with Spike from showing in her voice.

"Oh, what a shame. I had the chefs make enough cake for all three of us. Oh well. More for us! I suppose I could understand. Joe's doughnuts are quite good, aren't they? Twilight Sparkle, why are you still standing there? Sit!" Celestia gestured to the chair.

Twilight nodded, scraping a chair and sat down. Celestia cut a piece of cake out for her. With Celestia's urging, Twilight cut into the cake and took a bite. Celestia took a sip of her tea before serving herself a slice. Celestia greedily ate her slice all the way through while Twilight merely took nibbles.

"Now ..." Celestia put the fork down. "I believe you had something to ask me? About the Pipe Slime?"

Twilight uneasily put her fork down. "Yes."

Celestia sighed like she was remembering the hijinks of her youth. "I remember him. Or it. I was never sure. What of him?"

"Well ..." Twilight stirred her fork into her cake. "Shining Armor did tell you Rarity encountering it … him?"

"Oh, yes. Shining Armor made it sound like it was quite the situation, but he had worked everything out and fixed it. I suspect he embellished a few things, as Cadence walked in and said "that's not how that happened!" Hmm." Celestia chuckled. "I would be happy to hear your account of events, my faithful student. What happened?"

"Well, uh … Rarity and Rainbow Dash were infected by it first, a few weeks beforehand ..."

"Aah!" Celestia clapped her hands. "What fun!"

"Fun?" Twilight scoffed. She turned away from the Princess, fiddling with her fingers.

"Twilight?" Celestia asked. "Is something wrong?"

Twilight turned back to her. "Princess, while Rarity was infected, she said you made the Pipe Slime. Is it that true?"

"From a certain point of view." Celestia answered. "I didn't make it, I summoned it from a book."

"A book?"

"Yes. You see, Twilight, when I was growing up, I was very lonely. I had Luna to play with, but the only others around were stewards and sitters meant to attend Equestria's future rulers. One day, I went to the library and dug through the books for something to help easy the loneliness my sister and I had." Celestia tilted her gaze, lost in thought."

"I found the book with instructions for summoning the Pipe Slime, with the instructions saying it was "excellent for companionship." I was too young and naive at the time to realize what it really meant by "companionship," so I set about summoning it to by mine and Luna's friend. The sitters found me while I was trying to communicate with it. They scooped me into their arms and cast a spell to make it disappear. They scolded me for it, and live went on as normal. I never imagined it was out in the Everfree Forest, just sitting there for all these years!"

Twilight's jaw dropped. If what Celestia said was accurate, then the Pipe Slime even predated Nightmare by some measure of years! Twilight didn't know the exact number, as she didn't know how old Celestia and Luna were they officially took the throne.

"Good times." Celestia reminisced. "Was your friends' time with the Pipe Slime as fun for you as it was for me?"

Twilight gawked, unbelieving Celestia could be so … so callous about this. Callous and uncaring, not understanding just what the Slime did to Rarity – wait. That was it. She simply didn't understand. Her questions were not born of a malicious disregard for Rarity's well-being, but of a blissful ignorance of what the Pipe Slime did.

"Princess Celestia." Twilight said, getting up from her chair. She walked over to the Princess. "I understand it seemed like fun when you were a kid, and you probably think it was for Rarity and the rest of us all."

"It wasn't. It was terrible for all of us. Rarity, our friend, turned against as this slime-spewing, arrogant dominatrix. Did you realize how much that hurt? It was like when Discord got loose, only so much worse, because she made us …" Twilight suffered a crack in her voice. "_Touch_ each other! You know how much I love books. So believe me when I say, for the good of everyone, before some other villain gets their hands on it ..."

In a daring move that could have got arrested for treason, Twilight grabbed Celestia's shoulders.

"You have to burn that book."

Celestia sat there in shock. Twilight Sparkle, librarian and love of books all of shapes and sizes, advocating the burning of a precious tome? It hit Celestia just hard Twilight was taking all this, and how she was being so coldly causal about it …."

Celestia, her upbeat demeanor faded, grabbed Twilight's hand in a comforting way. "I understand. Come." Celestia stood up and walked out of the room. Twilight followed closely behind her.

Celestia led Twilight to the palace library, where a guard awaited them. The guard bowed and let them through. Celestia continued walking on to a far and distant corner wing of the library.

"Here …" Celestia said. "Wait here, my faithful student." Celestia went to a shelf and trailed her finger along the covers of each book, reading their titles under her breath. She went end-to-end before grimacing.

"Princess?"

Not heeding Twilight's call, Celestia dashed madly to the entrance. She returned to Twilight with a forlorn grimace.

"Princess?" Twilight asked again.

"Your fears were justified, my faithful student, but it appears it was too little, too late." Celestia walked back to the shelf and pointed her finger at an empty space where a book should have been, but wasn't it. "The guard said a silver-haired woman convinced him to let her take the book, seeing as I haven't touched it in so long."

Twilight gasped. No! But that means ..." If only Spike had let her talk to the silver-haired woman they saw at the entrance! They might be one and the same, and Twilight would have a better idea of who to look for!"

Celestia nodded.

"Yes. The book is gone."

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Treatment"**

**For a time, I considered postponing publishing this to work on future chapters and instead releasing a fully-completed story all at once so readers aren't left hanging, but I figured the critiques I could get on one chapter were more valuable when future chapters aren't set in stone. I have a lot of ideas, but they need refining, so have this to tide you over in the meantime.  
**

**Make sure to leave a review explaining what you ****liked, ****or didn't like so I can fix it!**

**10/22/14 Edits: **

**Well, some people have made complaints about this story being more MA when Fanfiction isn't supposed to contain MA fiction. I had to think long and hard about what I wanted to do about this, and I've decided to edit and censor this version of the story on this site rather move it to another site (which takes a lot of work with registering and formatting and ... ugh.) or deleting it (which would be sad). Changes to be include replacing the word "milk" with poison and as well as in-scenes which depict direct lactation of milk, as well as removing various in-detail sex scenes.  
**

**But if you want to see the original, much more sexually-detailed version of the story, head over to its copy on Fimfiction.**

**I'd really hate to make it so you have to go to a specific site to enjoy specific stuff from me, but I _may_ make it so that future chapters on Fimfiction still contain more-detailed sex scenes while future chapters skim around those parts. They're less stringent about this sort of thing on Fimfiction.**

**If you feel the story up to this point is still too risque, kindly point out what parts could still be improved and I'll be happy to work on them more.**


	2. Dripping

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 2**

**Dripping**

* * *

Twilight's pacing footsteps gave empty-sounded echoes across the library wing. Her arms were crossed, her hands were gripping each shoulder, and her lips were grimaced.

"My faithful student, you really must stop worrying." Celestia told her, magically pulling up two chairs for the both of them to sit in.

Twilight stopped pacing and turned to the Princess. "How can I stop worrying? How can you NOT be worrying? Right now, there's a horrible person out there with a horrible book about to unleash a horrible creature that will turn my friend Rarity into a manipulative psychopath sex-fiend all over again! Just like before …"

"True. But panicking about it will accomplish nothing. We Princesses must remain calm in times or crises."

Twilight used a trick Cadence taught her and held her hand out, breathing a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry." Twilight stopped, staring down at the open cut in Celestia's dress. Down at her … truly impressive cleavage.

"Twilight Sparkle?" Celestia asked. "Are you staring?" She didn't sounded offended, just curious.

"Wha? Oh, um, yes." Twilight bashfully admitted. "Sorry. It's just … I had this awkward dream once, um, about you. Moving on!" Twilight tapped her chin. "Who would do such a thing? Who would be terrible, so unpleasant as to try to summon another Pipe Slime?"

Twilight noticed that saying this made Celestia give an uncomfortable jostle. "Princess?"

"I'm not sure how to tell you this, but ..." Celestia nervously intertwined her fingers. "There are more creatures in the book than just the Pipe Slime. It's possible that whoever stole it wishes to use one of them instead."

Twilight stammered before shaking her head. "Still, though … what kind of awful person -"

"I taught you better than that, my faithful student. The question we should is answer is not  
"who," but ..." Celestia gestured for Twilight to finish the sentence.

"Why?" Twilight answered. "Why would they steal the book? Do they want to use it to take over Equestria? Do they want to use the monsters inside to … have fun?"

Celestia held her finger out. "Wait. There is a more pressing question. How? Counting you, the amount of still-living people who know about the book can be counted on less than one hand."

"Wouldn't more people know about the royal library, though?"

"Yes, my student, but the vast majority of them merely know that the library has books. They don't necessarily know what any of them are."

"So that would mean ..."

Celestia put thought to action and starting counting on her fingers. "Myself, you … Luna, and … Discord." Celestia grimaced. "Discord. Who I gave to Fluttershy and you to reform and who is living in at her cottage."

"You don't suppose he told someone about it, do you? I thought he had reformed."

"I wouldn't put it past him to have told someone on purpose, just to spite me."

Twilight turned around and marched towards the exit, intending to give Discord a piece of her mind.

"However ..." Celestia said, stopping Twilight in her tracks. "I would also not put it past him that he told someone by accident. A slip of the forked tongue, if you will."

Twilight nodded. "Don't worry, Princess. I'll go back to Ponyville and get his side of the story." She continued her march. "I'll get to the bottom of this."

* * *

On the gilded streets of Canterlot, renowned millionaire Fancypants and his girlfriend, Fleur-de-lis, were walking down the street, their arms wrapped around each other.

"It's a beautiful day." Fleur-de-lis commented.

Fancypants surveyed the area around him. "It is, isn't it?" He refocused his attention on the road in front of him. He was surprised to see royalty out at this hour by themselves.

Princess Celestia was sitting on an umbrella-shaded table, despite having been in the castle with Twilight just a few minutes ago. Her majestic white dress seemed to have a lower-cut top than usual as well.

"Hello!" Celestia greeted them. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Er, yes." Fancypants said. "My dear Fleur-de-lis and I were just discussing that.

"Were you? How serendipitous that we're all talking about the same subject."

"Yes." Fancypants bowed. "Forgive my impudence, Your Majesty, but what are you doing outside of the castle? By yourself, with no guards or politicians or friends to be found?"

Celestia waved her hand. "Oh, you know me. I just can't stand to sit in the castle all the day when my beautiful sun is shining so brightly." Celestia turned to the sound of footsteps as a silver-haired woman came running from the other side of the street. She was wearing blue clothes with a purple star-printed cape and wizard hat.

"Mi-" the silver-haired woman stopped at the sight of Fancypants, skidding to a half by the side of Celestia's chair. "Er, Princess Celestia, Trixie has acquired the book that you asked for."

"Excellent." Celestia said, getting up and taking the book from Trixie.

Fancypants looked to Fleur for affirmation that this situation was as strange as it appeared to be. A blank, confused stare from her confirmed that it wasn't just him.

"Er, Princess? Who's this and what's this book I'm hearing about?" Fancypants asked.

"I am the great and powerful Trixie!" The woman introduced herself, throwing her purple cape out to the wind. "I am known the world over for my show-stopping displays of magical grandeur!"

"Never heard of you." Fleur said.

Trixie visibly deflated. "Well, you uneducated trophy wife, I'll have you know-"

"Excuse me?" Fancypant said, advancing on Trixie. "Uneducated trophy wife?" It appeared he took more offense himself than Fleur did at the comment. "I will have you know that Fleur is much more dear to me than a trophy wife." Fancypants started rolling his sleeves up, ready to give Trixie a good-old fashioned whupping, by gum. "And I am prepared to defend her honor."

"What a noble sentiment!" Celestia said quickly, wrapping her arm around Trixie and pulling her back. "If only every woman could find a strapping man like you. Oh well, too bad, we must be off. Ta-ta!" Celestia pushed Trixie in front of her and turned onto the adjacent street, hurrying Trixie along as she walked like someone who was desperately trying to be somewhere else.

"Something is going on." Fancypants said.

"So it seems." Fleur said. She looked at Fancypants. "I take it you're feeling adventurous and we're going to follow them?"

"You know me so well, my dear. You're right, of course." Fancypants took Fluer's hand and started walking down the street. "Slowly, though. Subtly, so they don't realize we're onto them." Fancypants took her in front of a store and made to look like they were window shopping, occasionally taking peeks to see where Celestia and Trixie were heading.

"Go, go." Fancypants said, taking Fluer along as Celestia and Trixie rounded a corner. He didn't want to lose sight of them. They made their way around, catching sight of them going straight.

Celestia came to an abrupt stop. Fearing Celestia had somehow sensed them, Fancypants and Fluer ducked behind the wall of another store.

Confirming their fears, Celestia looked her shoulder, frowning. She pursed her lips, glared, then pushed Trixie along to keep moving, now walking at an even more urgent pace. Fancypants and Fluer realized the time for stealth was over, so they dashed after the suspicious duo. Celestia and Trixie turned, swerved, changed course, and doubled-back to lose their pursuers, but Fancypants and Fluer maintained their pursuit with steadiness.

Eventually, Celestia and Trixie went outside the city limits.

"Oh. Maybe we should stop." Fleur-de-lis suggested.

"And wait for the Royal Guard? They could be long gone by the time they get here!" Fancypants said. "Besides, I'm rather having fun. After them!"

They continued running after the duo, tracking them down into a wide open clearing with some trees and bushes. But Celestia and Trixie had escaped, slipping into the trees and disappearing.

"Darn." Fancypants said. They might as well have called the Guards if they were just going to lose them anyway. "Let's head back, then ..." He turned around.

"Wait." Fleur said, grabbing Fancypants' arm. "I hear something." Fancypants looked around at the bushes, which had started rustling.

"I believe we should go back, like you said." Fancypants suggested. "Before ..."

There was a loud, thunderous gurgle, like a large lake had been unplugged and drained. Oozing out from the foliage like a monstrous snail came a bulbous mound of orange goop. It had tendrils writing from it that ended in round bulbs. The creature gurgled and bubbled, aiming for them.

"Something like that happens." Fancypants said. He and Fluer made a sprint to get back to Canterlot, but the creature whipped its tendril, catching Fleur-de-lis inside like a butterfly net made of pudding.

"FLEUR-DE-LIS!"

Fleur-de-lis understandably screamed as the creature used its tendril to pull her towards it. It lifted another one of its tendrils and splashed its bulb against her chest.

"Fleur!" Fancypants screamed and ran towards her, reaching his hand out to do … something! Anything!

"Fancypants, save yourself! Go back to Canterlot! Tell the Guard!"

"I ..." Fancypant stuttered as the creature began to tear at her until she stopped struggling. "I can't leave you here ..."

"Fancypants ..." Fluer-de-lis whined, a tear escaping from her eye as the tip of the tendril began to envelope the top half of her body. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but the best thing you can do is save yourself. Say you stay here. Then what? What can you do? Then this … thing will devour both of us and nobody will know what happened. But if you leave, if you tell someone … they can at least know what happened to me. Do the right thing. Don't be a hero, Fancypants."

Fancypants sniffed. He nodded. It hurt to nod. It hurt to say yes. It hurt to know he was saying "yes" to his love's request of leaving her here to die, alone. But he sniffed, he shed a tear, and he turned around and headed for safety of the city.

Fleur cried in silence. She closed her eyes and waited for the thing to be done with whatever it was doing. It did nothing but rub at her breast for awhile. So she opened her eyes to see if was doing anything else. One of its tendrils was raising up. It aimed at her like it about to fire something. The bulb at the end began to change in shape and size, rounding itself down, shaving itself, redistribution its mass along the stem of the tendril until it was small enough to fit into her mouth.

"That's ... not going into my mouth, is it?" Fluer asked. She shouldn't have said anything, as the tendril shoved its way into her open mouth and began to squirt a paste into her throat, forcing her to swallow. It tasted like orange juice. Fluer supposed that there were worse things to be force-fed than orange juice-paste.

The tendril continued to pump its sludge into her. As it went on, the taste of the sludge started to change, like a new element was being introduced. Disliking the new drink of juice and whatever the creature had mixed with it, Fluer-de-lis tried to to punch the tendril. But it was no use. Her hand only became lodged inside the stem like she had tried to punch through pudding. The slime seemed to forgive her, wiggling its stem until her hand was shook free.

"Mmph!" Fluer grunted and moaned. She could her stomach beginning to fill up with the "orange juice" which was starting to taste less and less like juice. A heat began to emanate from her stomach, tickling at her throat, encouraging her to swallow more of the citric fluid.

"Oooh ..." Fluer purred, her head tilting to the side.

She shook her head. Her mind was clouding. She knew she was being drugged, probably the citric fluid. But still, that orange juice-substance did taste good …

She shook her head again, trying to keep resisting, even though the tendril was still spurting more citrus into her. She could feel her stomach being absolutely full. Her stomach was also beginning to jut out, so full it was.

"Mmm … mmm … mmmm!" She moaned lustfully and groaned resentfully. She was feeling so good, too drugged up to resist the pleasure any more. The creature itself seemed to know this and appeared content, removing its tendril from her mouth and gently lowering her to the ground before moving back into the forest.

Fleur groaned, trying to get to her feet. She knew she had to get back to Fancypants. She also knew she was drugged. But simply knowing she was drugged hardly helped her to fight it, and she gave it to the urge to _squeeeeeze_ her engorged stomach.

"Gah ha ha ha … that's good stuff." Fleur giggled like a child, rubbing her tummy fulll of delicious slime.

"Ugh! No! What am I doing? I need ..." Fluer limped forward. "I need to get back to Fancypants." She bundled up what she could of her dress's remains. Then, she started limping towards Canterlot.

* * *

Meanwhile in Ponyville, Fleur-de-lis was not the only struggling with the issue of lactation.

Fluttershy was rolling around in her bed.. "Oh yes, that's it, kids … drink from Mama." she was dreaming about doing ... inappropriate things with Big Macintosh and Applejack.

She rolled around, enjoying herself. Until she rolled one too many times and bumped her head against the headrest, bringing her to her senses.

"Oh." Fluttershy muttered, opening her eyes. She looked down at herself and blushed. She exhaled sharply.

This usually happened, just around the time of their annual check-up with Silver Lens. They would get to talking about the Pipe Slime infection, where they were all lactating. Fluttershy would mention that it made her feel motherly. Fluttershy liked feeling motherly. After they talked about it, Fluttershy would dream or fantasize for a few days after about nursing again. It happened every time. The normal routine would be that she would deal with it for a few days, then forgot about it as the conversation faded from her mind.

Not this time. Fluttershy had decided that this time, she was going to do something about it.

What that "something" was had yet to be determined. Rest assured, it was going to be something, and she was going to do it.

Getting out of bed and adjusting her yellow bathrobe, Fluttershy walked into the other room. There was Discord, Spirit of Chaos-turned-antagonistic friend. He was floating the air and snickering to himself about something. Whatever it was, it was causing mice to evict the premises and her pet bunny to laugh.

"Discord?" Fluttershy spoke with a soft tone.

Discord scrambled to use his magic to make it look as though he wasn't up to anything. "I wasn't doing anything!" He hid his hands behind his back.

"It's okay." Fluttershy said with a smile. "Um, actually, I was wondering if you would me doing me a favor?"

"But of course!" Discord moved next to her, tracing his finger along her cheek. "Anything for my favorite person in the whole world!"

"Uum … well, it's um, rather … personal."

"Mh-hm?"

"Like, intimate personal." Fluttershy elaborated.

"Oh, I see." Discord swam through the air away from her. "What is it?"

"Um, would you, um … well, this isn't easy for me to say. Lately, I've been fantasizing a lot about having someone … suckle me. Nurse me, for my, um. Milk. " Fluttershy put her hands together and attempted to appeal to his ego. "Someone big and strong. Like you."

Discord cocked his bushy eyebrow. "Let me see if I have this correct. You, Fluttershy, want me, Discord, to suckle your breast?"

"Um, if it's not too much trouble?" Fluttershy leaned forward, her voice carrying apologetic and hopeful notes.

Discord raised his hand and snapped his fingers. There were sparkles of light in Fluttershy's hands that materialized into bathroom plungers.

"Knock yourself out." Discord said. A wisp of green flame appeared next to him, turning into a paper with a star seal on it. "Oh! I do believe dear Princess Twilight wants to see me!" He grabbed the letter and snapped his fingers. There was another sparkle, and he was gone.

Fluttershy threw the plungers down, not at all pleased how that conversation went. After a minute of huffing and puffing, she looked down at the plungers.

"Well … he was nice enough to give them to me, so I guess I should use them." She bent down and began scooping the plungers up to carry them to her bathroom.

The door to her house swung open, startling Fluttershy. She held one leg up like a flamingo in a lake, wincing before she was it was just Applejack who had charged in.

"Fluttershy!" Applejack said. "I need your help – why are y'all carryin' plungers?"

"Oh, um. Long story." Fluttershy dropped the plungers to the ground. "I'd be happy to help. What is it?"

"Ah think Rarity is breastfeedin' Rainbow Dash again."

Fluttershy stared, not certain what this meant. Her heart went to Rarity – it must have been nice to have a partner as loyal as Rainbow Dash for that gentle, pleasant nursing … "Um, okay. Why is this a bad thing?"

"Land's sakes, girl!" Applejack held her hands out. "Don't y'all remember wut happened the last time Rarity was nursin' Rainbow Dash?"

"Um, yes. But that wasn't her fault. The Slime had got to her! What's so wrong about her breastfeeding now?" Fluttershy crossed her arms.

Applejack's eye twitched. Fluttershy's questions was making her doubt her self-assured judgment. "Look, we all know Rarity is hurting Rainbow Dash and it's up to us to put a stop to it."

"How do you know?" Fluttershy asked. "What if Rarity's just feeding Rainbow Dash natural milk? What if she's developed something? What if's a side-effect of being infected for as long as she was?"

Applejack sighed and rubbed her temples. "Look, Fluttershy, it's not healthy, all right? It ain't natural for a woman to drink another woman's milk like that. We have to stop them because Celestia knows they won't stop themselves." With that, Applejack turned around and stepped out the door.

Fluttershy looked at her breasts. She cupped them gently.

"It's perfectly natural to want to feel motherly ..."

Knowing she wouldn't be able to convince Applejack, Fluttershy went outside after her. Once Applejack had made up her mind on something, it was hard to convince her otherwise.

"Do you have a plan?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yeah. We're gonna find Rainbow Dash, invite her over ..." They didn't have to go far into town to find Rainbow Dash, who was chatting with Scootaloo while Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stood away some distance. Sweetie Belle was particularly focused.

"Hey, R.D!" Applejack waved. "Want to come over for a few drinks?"

Rainbow Dash looked towards them. She put a hand on Scootaloo's shoulder, reassuring her that Dash would return. After that, Rainbow Dash came near them. "Hey, guys. What's up? Heard something about drinks?"

"Yeah." Applejack said, grabbing Fluttershy's hand. "Fluttershy and I were just about to head on over to Sweet Apple Acres for a few drinks. Maybe some tea, talk a bit, catch up ..."

"Sounds good." Rainbow Dash waved at Scootaloo. "Ooh, do you have some stored cider?"

Applejack's grimace was all Rainbow Dash needed to know.

"It's fine." Dash waved her hand. "No big deal."

The trio made their way back to Applejack's house, where Applejack was hospitable. Too hospitable. She pulled out chairs for both of them and got out cups for all three of them. She patted the seat for Fluttershy to sit in, then went to the fridge.

"So wut can Ah get y'all?" Applejack offered, throwing her fridge open. "Some apple juice? Orange juice? Maybe a nice glass of milk?"

"Yeah, sure." Rainbow Dash said. She noticed Applejack smirking like she had just caught a criminal red-handed.

"Actually ..." Rainbow Dash said. "You have any sports drinks? I need to catch up on my electrolytes."

"Hmm." Applejack was unhappy about being denied her easy victory. "Let me look around in here ..."

"Aren't you gonna serve Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack halted, glared, then turned back to Fluttershy.

"I wouldn't mind milk." Fluttershy offered. Applejack took the milk carton out.

What neither Applejack or Fluttershy realized was that Rainbow Dash was onto them. Applejack's intents were transparent. Rainbow Dash had been living with Rarity for some time. As a result, Rarity had schooled Rainbow Dash in various methods of double-talk and deflection. The trick Rainbow Dash had just exercised was something Rarity taught her for when someone – this case, Applejack – was trying to lay a trap. Simply point something that didn't make sense in the situation. Namely, why not serve Fluttershy first if they weren't sure they had what Rainbow wanted?

"Y'all sure you don't any of this stuff?" Applejack asked, holding the carton up. "It's all natural!"

Rainbow Dash wanted to laugh and spit in Applejack face about how she saw right through her ploy. But she remembered something Rarity had stressed when tricking people into thinking their plans were still going smoothly – there was nothing quite like overconfidence to cause someone to tip their hand early and ruin their own game.

_Never let them know you're onto them. _

"I'm good." Rainbow Dash said. "Anything else you need?"

Applejack scowled. She was about to say something when Rainbow Dash got up from her chair.

"Well, since you don't have anything for me to drink, I should really get back to hanging out with Scootaloo." That was another lesson Rarity had taught – always have a good excuse for leaving.

Applejack shoved the carton back into the fridge. "Darn it! I thought we could get her ..."

Fluttershy didn't show it, but she knew Applejack was wrong. Fluttershy didn't know Rainbow Dash was onto them, but she did know Applejack's unsubtle methods would never get Rainbow Dash (or anyone else really) to confess to anything.

Applejack sighed and took a seat, pouring herself a glass of apple juice. "Ah don't git it."

Fluttershy kept it to herself, but she couldn't help but think …

_No. You really don't. _

Fluttershy privately entertained the thought of taking her clothes off right there and seducing Applejack into nursing her. She could do it. She had the bust size for it. Out of the six of them, only Rarity was bustier. The kind of generous, well-curved breasts that could seduce anyone, regardless of sexuality as long as it was _flaunted_ the right way.

"Fluttershy?" Applejack asked. "Y'all got this real funny look on your face. What are ya thinkin' about?"

"Oh, nothing." Fluttershy fibbed. She took a drink, imagining Applejack nursing her while on her knees. She expanded on her fantasy, thinking about how the conversation would go. _Oh, Fluttershy! Ah've seen the light. Please forgive me and allow me to nurse you!_

Fluttershy giggled at her over-the-top scenario. Still, she thought better of actually trying it. Rivaling Rarity's bust wasn't an issue, but the reason Rarity was so successful at her seductions was, well, that she was seductive. An expertise that Fluttershy lacked.

"I still don't see what's wrong with breastfeeding." Fluttershy said with calmness.

"Well, it is!" Applejack's grip tightened around her glass.

"Applejack, let's assume just for a minute that Rarity's feeding isn't because of any slimes or infections or anything. Then what's the harm in letting someone close to her nurse her?"

"Cause it means she's hurting Rainbow Dash!"

"You don't know that. Rainbow Dash could be fine. Rarity could be feeding someone else, even. They could not be feeding at all. "

Applejack bit her lip, unable to argue with Fluttershy's reasoning. Really, what proof did she have beyond a water bottle and her own suspicions? But it still didn't sit right. It was still wrong.

"Fluttershy ..." Applejack's tone was one of worry and concern, like she was trying to spare Fluttershy's feelings. "If Rarity's feeding again, that means she's been lying to us."

"Well, given how rude and intrusive you're being, I can see why she would!"

Applejack backed up against her chair. Fluttershy covered her mouth as she realized she had raised her voice.

"Fluttershy ... Ah think it's time for you to go."

"Hmph!" Fluttershy pushed her chair out and got up. She went to the door and stopped, turning to Applejack with a silent fury in her eyes.

"All those years ago, after all she did under the Slime's influence ... you never really forgave her, did you?"

Applejack pointed at the door. "Git out."

Fluttershy turned her nose to the air and shut the door behind her in a less than gentle fashion. Not quite slamming the door, but also not a calm way of shutting it. It was only after the door was closed and the room was silent that Applejack considered that perhaps the fact she had just told sweet, soft-mannered Fluttershy to git out should hint to Applejack maybe she _was_ in the wrong.

* * *

After a long day spent playing with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle went back inside Carousel Boutique. She would not like to admit a large portion of that time was spent gawking at Scootaloo … the way she used her little wings. Her sporty, can-do attitude, her athletic build …

"Ah! Sweetie Belle. Perfect." Rarity said, strolling into the room. In her hands was a water bottle, again filled with white liquid that sloshed and splashed seductively. "Sweetie Belle, do you know what you did?"

In all honesty, Sweetie Belle had forgotten all about doing what she did with the bottle until now. "Y-yeah? Why?"

"Well ..." Rarity drawled. "I know you took the bottle of poison to Applejack. Applejack brought it back and she had crushed it! Which wasn't very nice of her." Rarity growled.

Sweetie Belle gulped. "No, it wasn't."

"Now, I'd be willing to forgive you ..." Rarity held the bottle up, balancing it on her hand. She tossed into the air and caught. "But I - … my friend was none too pleased to find out her poison was being messed with. That it was being handled by parties other than those to whom she had given permission. Now, do I have your word you won't mess with the poison bottles again?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Of course!" She was just glad to get out of this conversation without a spanking or worse. Sweetie Belle moved for her room, but Rarity sidestepped in front of her and blocked her. "Uh, can I go to my room now?"

"Your word, Sweetie Belle." Even Sweetie Belle, with all her inexperience, could tell Rarity was using a false happy tone.

Sweetie Belle sighed. She raised one hand up while placing the other across her chest. "You have my word that I will not mess with your bottles of white poison."

"Excellent." Rarity stepped out of the way. She watched as Sweetie Belle went up the stairs, feigning happiness. Sweetie Belle ignored her and carried on her way. Once she was gone, Rarity skipped back to put the bottle in the fridge.

"Darlings, I'm going out!" Rarity called throughout the house, letting everyone know of her intent to be absent.

* * *

Ah, the bar. Few other establishments were as adaptable as a bar. The results of a visit could be anything. A good time, a good night, fresh love, a mugging, a terrible hang-over the next day … was there any other service-based building with such a wide variety of outcomes?

After the day she'd been having, Rarity would have looked forward to any of them. First, that wholly unnecessary meeting with Silver Lens. Sweetie Belle had gotten into her "poisons." Applejack had gotten into her poisons. Not to mention that Harshwhinny brute interrogating her and Dash while they were trying to enjoy a soak.

After all of that, Rarity wouldn't mind waking up shirtless in an alleyway, so long as she no longer had to deal with their suspicions, their accusations, their glares. They didn't trust her. They didn't trust her word and they did not trust that she wasn't feeding Rainbow Dash. And she certainly did not trust them. Why should she? If they weren't going to believe her, why should she believe them?

Rarity made her way to the table of the bar. She moved fluidly through the crowd like she was a splash of water instead of a person. She would have blended in and appeared inconspicuous if not for her groomed hairstyle. Her curled hair was fine for the town, or the catwalk, but was much too fancy for a bar. She caught looks and stares from the crowd."

She ignored them, sitting at the table. "Bartender, a simple martini. With a pitted olive, if you would." The bartender nodded. His service was excellent, as he slid the tiny glass to her within seconds.

"Superb, darling. Thank you." Rarity lifted the glass up and took a small sip. She held the glass by its bowl, idly swirling it around while she listened to the white noise. People whispering, murmuring. At least one group of people were shouting, doing some pointless frat boy activity.

Rarity made a survey of the room. There was little of note, at least that interested her. Until she picked up a conversation that she knew was about her.

"Ooh, you see that one, boys? I hear she's a real feisty sheila."

Rarity took another sip of drink, using to mask her face as she turned towards the people. There was a trio of men at a table, all dress in brown and gray suits and hats like 1950's gangsters.

"Infected the whole town with this crazy goop, you know?" One of them said.

"I hear she got the Crystal Princess and her husband in bed with her … at the same time!"

Rarity stood up. She knew what she had done under the influence of that creature, and she would not stand for rumors and speculation. She had, at no point, entered into the bedroom with Cadence and Shining Armor. She wasn't proud of much she had done in that time, but not becoming intimate with a married couple was at least thing she could be proud of.

The three men continued to chat and giggle amongst themselves. They stopped when they saw Rarity appear in front of their table like a ghost from the wall.

"Hello, boys." Rarity swished her drink around before taking a sip. "I heard you were talking about me?"

"Oh, um … maybe a little?" One of them said, making a pinch gesture.

"Well, I will have you know that as many things as I did, as much as I did, I did not bed with Princess Cadence and his husband." Rarity swirled her drink around again before taking another sip.

The men were unnerved. It was just taking a sip of a drink – that was all it was. But somehow Rarity found a way to make so damn creepy.

"Well?" Rarity harshly snapped at them. She put her fingers on the table and began walking them. "Aren't one of you gentlemen going to invite me home? After all, since my sexual prowess is _so well known_ ..."

"I, uh ..." One of them stammered. "I need to get home to my wife." He downed the last of his drink and sped out of the bar.

Boys and their excuses. Rarity would bet he didn't even have a wife.

"I think I hear my laundry calling me." The second one of the trio said before joining in leaving. That left Rarity and the last man alone.

Rarity bent over, giving him a view down her top at her breasts. "Well?"

The man shivered a bit. Most of the times, males would be awed to have a chance to view Rarity's bust, but somehow Rarity made it seem less like she was flaunting her body at him and more like she was pulling out and aiming a dagger at his throat. He fellow his friends' example and made for the exit without even finishing his drink.

Rarity huffed.

"Miss?" The bartender hailed her. Rarity found that interesting. She hadn't been hailed by a bartender anymore.

"Yes?" Rarity asked him, walking to his table.

"Look ..." The bartender said. "I know those guys were probably talking some smack about you, but I can't have you scaring off my paying customers. It's bad for business!"

"Are you asking me to leave?"

"Well, I was gonna try to be tactful about it, but … yeah!"

"Very well." Rarity swallowed her martini and threw the cup down onto his table. It rolled on its side before the bartender used his hand to stop it. Rarity pulled out some money and tossed onto the table before leaving.

As a business owner herself, Rarity understood why she had been asked to leave. But as she did, she couldn't help but feel a hint of bitterness.

This was what she had to deal with.

* * *

"Did you find her? Any news? Progress? A status update?"

Fancypants had his hands together in prayer that Fleur-de-lis would be all right. He was starting to get on the guard's nerves.

"For the last time, Fancypants, no. There has not been a status update. We will find her when we find her."

Fancypants sighed. He knew the first forty-eight hours were the most important in a missing persons case, and the longer the Royal Guards searched, the less it seemed like they going to find Fluer-de-lis or even just her body. That creature may have digested her whole!

"Sir, why don't you go home for the night?" The guard suggested. "If we have any status updates at all, we will call you."

Fancypants groaned. He realized the guard was right to suggest he went home, but that hardly made him feel better. Constantly asking the guard for updates wasn't going to accomplish anything either, so he resigned himself to returning home.

To his mansion … alone. By himself.

It was funny, Fancypants thought as he entered his house. The mansion was so big – one of the largest in Canterlot. But without Fleur-de-lis, it felt smaller than a fly.

Fancypants sighed again, taking off his monocle and resting it on the windowsill. He supposed he should go to bed for the night and hope for results in the morning.

A knock prevented Fancypants from doing that.

"What is so important it can wait until morning and for me to mope?" Fancypants cussed as he walked back to the door, pulling it open to reveal-

"Fleur-de-lis!" Fancypants exclaimed. It was Fluer-de-lis. Her dress was in tatters, her body exposed, and her breasts and belly were unnaturally, unhealthily swollen. But she was alive. "Is it really you?"

"Y-yes, Fancypants." Fluer answered, shivering in the night cold without the protection of clothes. "It's me."

Fancypants engaged her in a tight hug, not even caring about his body pressing in to her enlarged breasts. "I'd thought I'd never see you again!"

"T-that's nice … c-can I come in? I'm so cold ..."

"Yes, yes, of course!" Fancypants said, bringing her inside and shutting the down. "I'll start a fire, perhaps a warm bath."

"Fancypants ..." Fluer-de-lis said. "Look at me. Look at me." Fluer-de-lis let go of her hold on her ruined dress, revealing the rest of her body. "That thing did something to me!"

Fancypants nodded. He pulled her into another hug. "I know, dear, I know. We''ll fix it. We'll get through it together. We'll go to the hospital right away … we'll find a way through."

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Dripping"**

**Because the connection between "Treatment" and "Dripping" isn't as obvious as it is between "Treatment" and "Nausea" (this chapter's initial name) I will go ahead and explain that the naming scheme for this story is based on poison and poison-related terms. Treatment, Nausea ... and Dripping. As in dripping poison.**

**One of my main motivations in doing a sequel to A Poison Most Intimate was that most of the action was centered in Ponyville, meaning we never got to enjoy the wonder of a lactating Fleur-de-lis. This injustice of not featuring Fluer could not stand.**

**One thing I wanted to do was have Fluer-de-lis suggested the creature had impregnated her, which would lead to Fancypants saying a well-meaning but poorly-worded statement about how he'd let Fluer-de-lis get impregnated by a thousand creatures as long as she came back to him in the end. Fluer would have called him out on it, but saw his intended meaning and let it slide.**

**I feel like that scene where Applejack attempts to have Rainbow Dash confess probably needed to be longer. **

_**10/22/14 Censorship Edits:**_

_**Change the scene of the Slime attacking Fluer-de-lis to avoid mention of breasts and feed her only slime/orange juice.**_


	3. Exchanging Barbs

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 3**

**Exchanging Barbs**

* * *

_Dear Friend,_

_If you are receiving this postcard, then you are invited to the 18th birthday of Sweetie Belle at Carousel Boutique this afternoon. Sugarcube Corner will be catering._

_Gifts for the birthday girl are not necessary, but would be appreciated._

_-Rarity Belle._

Twilight Sparkle took stock of the Carousel Boutique. She was amongst the many who had been invited to Sweetie Belle's birthday, but she was one of the few who had an actual relationship with Rarity or Sweetie Belle. A large number of people present were only distant acquaintances, friends of friends, or people who only lived in Ponyville who Rarity had invited for no other reason than being polite to them.

"Hmm." Twilight scooted against a wall, waiting for one of her friends to find her through the busy crowd.

One of her friends found her, but it wasn't any of the ones she would have liked. Discord appeared next to her in a flash of light.

"Discord." Twilight growled.

"Yes, me!" Discord waved his hand through the air. "What about me? Are you not enjoying the party?" He produced a large bowl of popcorn and offered it to her.

Twilight glared at him. "You didn't respond to my letter yesterday."

"Didn't I?" Discord scratched his chin. "Oh, no, I didn't. I meant to. But I got distracted on the way, saw a seagull. Had to turn it into a orange-frog with wings for fun. Couldn't help myself."

"Uh-huh. More important. Do you know about a book full of sex monsters in Celestia's library?"

Discord made a lewd-sounding "Oooh" noise. "Sex monsters? In Celestia's library? Gosh, there's so much I don't know about her!" Discord manifested a sweater-vest and glasses on himself, invoking the image of a conservative moral guardian. "Not really appropriate for Sweetie Belle's birthday party, don't you think?"

"She's eighteen." Twilight dismissed. "Do you know about the book or not?"

"Let me see ..." Discord pulled out his hair and pumped it, like the level of a slot machine. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. "Oh, that's not it. No, not that either. Hmm, maybe it's … oh, yes!" Discord pulled his hair-lever again, and a pair of sevens appeared in his eyes. "Yes, I know about the book. What of it?"

"Did you tell anyone about it?"

"Why, yes. Fluttershy, I think, about three weeks ago."

Twilight clenched her hands. "Why would you do that!? Do you know what kind of havoc someone could wreak with that book?"

Discord did not appreciate her accusing question. "Tell you what, Twilight Sparkle." He made a cockatrice appear in his arms. He covered the cockatrice's eyes to limit its danger and brought it towards Twilight, who shirked away, remembering an unpleasant experience with the creature. "_You_ spend a thousand years encased in stone, and then let's see how well you remember what's important and what isn't."

Twilight put a finger on her head, out of patience for Discord's antics. She supposed he had a point. A thousand years would put a strain on the old memory.

"Wait ..." Twilight said. "You said you told her three weeks ago?"

"Yes?"

"Fluttershy was on a nature trip three weeks ago. She was out of Ponyville the entire day."

Discord scratched his chin. "So that would mean …"

"Whoever you told wasn't Fluttershy! It was someone pretending to be Fluttershy."

"Oh, what do I know?" Discord snapped his fingers and Twilight's hair turned pink and long, a perfect match for Fluttershy's. "All you mortals look the same."

Twilight zapped herself with her own magic, undoing Discord's changes. "I need to go tell the Princess about this ..." Twilight began to walk toward the door, but Discord appeared in front of her blowing a party horn.

"Oh, Twilight, it's a party!" He placed a party hat on Twilight's head. "Enjoy yourself! That stuffy royal business can wait. Don't bring all that gloom and doom over this cheer and sunshine."

"Discord, I -" Twilight looked over her shoulder to see Sweetie Belle stuffing herself with a slice of cake. Twilight realized she in all likeliness was falling prey to Discord's manipulation, but she still felt guilty about bringing the "doom and gloom" to what was supposed to be a joyous occasion.

"I didn't think I'd ever say this, but you're right, Discord." Twilight said. "Whoever it is that has the book won't make their move until they're ready. If they're smart enough to avoid being caught by now, they won't be stupid enough to speed up their plans just because Celestia and I are on to them." Twilight turned around and moved through the crowd, striking up a conversation.

Discord smiled, satisfied he had gotten the perennially uptight Twilight to lighten up. He figured he might as well pop off to Canterlot to let Celestia know what he and Twilight had figured out. If nothing else, to keep Twilight and him (though mainly him) out of trouble for not reporting sooner. He could pop right back to the party afterwards. He snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Meanwhile at the table, Rarity was sorting through the presents some of Sweetie Belle's closer friends had been generous enough to bring. "Let's see, this one is from … Scootaloo." Rarity didn't notice Sweetie Belle's eyes light up at the name. "I think we'll just put that and Apple Bloom's gift here so you open them first. Does that sound all right, Sweetie Belle?"

"Hey!" Scootaloo said. "How do you know she doesn't want to save the best for last?"

Rarity rolled her eyes, but she smiled. "Sweetie Belle, what do you want to do?"

"I think I want to open Scootaloo's and Apple Bloom's first." Sweetie Belle said, giving a glazed look towards Scootaloo. Rarity handed the present to Sweetie Belle, who started unwrapping it with a complete lack of patience.

"They're good friends, aren't they?" Applejack said to Rarity, walking up to her. She nodded to the younger trio. "The three of them, Ah mean."

"Yes." Rarity agreed as Scootaloo's present was revealed to be a karaoke set, for Sweetie Belle's interest in singing.

"So, are y'all ready to come clean about you and Rainbow Dash?" Applejack whispered.

"Oh." Rarity scoffed. She wished she could say she was surprised that Applejack would choose now, at Sweetie's birthday party, to bring up the subject, but she wasn't surprised in the least. "Applejack, now is really not an appropriate time."

"Oh, are ya sure?" Applejack asked. "In front of everyone ya invited, in the crowd where y'all can't run away … seems pretty good tah me."

"Attack me if you must. Make me suffer, if you have to. But please, leave Sweetie Belle out of your grudging crusade."

"Grudge? Who said Ah was carryin' a grudge?"

Rarity shook her head. "Applejack, I would very much appreciate if you would hold this off until sometime after Sweetie Belle's party. How would you feel if it was Apple Bloom's party and I came up to you with the intent to interrogating you?"

Rarity's hypothetical statement seemed to make Applejack reconsider. "Fine. But this isn't over." Applejack stomped off away from Rarity, passing Twilight and Spike on the way.

"A.J?" Twilight asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nuthin'." Applejack said. "Except for Rarity being a two-faced sneak. Ah'm gonna git some punch"

"I hope everything's okay between them."

"Eh, Applejack and Rarity are always getting into fights." Spike dismissed Twilight's worries, taking a sip of punch.

Twilight brought her fingers to her chin out of worry. "I suppose." Twilight turned around and noticed Rainbow Dash was standing rather close to Rarity. In fact, Twilight hadn't seen Rainbow Dash move from Rarity's side during the whole party.

_Is she …?_ Twilight thought, thinking about the incident where they all thought Rarity and Rainbow Dash were in a unhealthy relationship. Which would explain why Applejack was in a sour mood.

Twilight didn't want to think ill of Rarity, but she also didn't want to be unprepared for the reality, if it turned out Rarity was using Rainbow Dash behind closed doors again. Twilight took a deep gulp.

"Spike … how would you feel if Rarity said she was in love with someone?"

"Psshaw. Twilight, she's said she's in love with someone plenty of times!" Spike turned to Rarity with admiration. "None of them lasted. It's just a matter of time before Rarity sees I was always the one for her." He held up his cup, gazing at Rarity's reflection through it.

Twilight tapped her fingers. "True, but … what if something changed? What if tomorrow, she announced she found her soul mate and … it was someone we knew?"

"Like that will happen!" Spike scoffed. Twilight grimaced. She wasn't getting through to him.

"Although …" Spike added, tapping on his glass. "I guess I could still be happy."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Uh, well … you remember a couple of years ago when Rarity got "infected" with that slime thing?"

Twilight swallowed hard. She remembered all too well. "Yes. What about it?"

"She, uh, came to visit me." Spike said. "She, um, offered herself to me and … we had sex with each other, with her, um, milk." Spike raised his glass. "It was awesome. So even if she did say she had met soulmate, I can still hold onto that night." Spike got a dreamy smile. "That great, great night."

Twilight didn't hear his nostalgic mutterings, however. Her mind had stopped processing anything he or anybody else had said after the words "we had sex with each other." "She did what?" Twilight growled, the fury of a mother burning in her body. Baring her teeth like a starving wolf that had found its unlucky first meal, Twilight marched up to Rarity.

"Hello, Twilight. Enjoying the party?" Rarity said, not even glancing in Twilight's direction.

"Don't give me that!" Twilight said, with a half mind to skip being civil and go straight for slapping Rarity across the cheek. "Spike just told me you slept with him while you were infected!"

Rarity exhaled. Yes, she had seduced Spike, brought him to her, invited him over and offered her body to him, but it was years ago and while she wasn't even in her right mind. Yet, Twilight spike about it as though it was as recent as yesterday. "Yes? What about it?"

"Rarity, that's not okay! You can't just go around and have sex with Spike and act like it's nothing!"

"I made my apologies for the things I did under the influence of the Pipe Slime." Rarity said. "I don't know what more you can expect from me, Twilight."

Twilight raised her finger, ready to go into a long and extensive detail about why getting with Spike was wrong and why Rarity was a terrible person for doing so, but Rarity held out her hand.

"Darling, please. I already had to deal with Applejack's accusation and we're trying to celebrate Sweetie Belle turning eighteen. I'll talk with you, or I suppose I should say, I'll listen while you rave at me, later. But not right now."

Twilight growled. She accepted Rarity's logic and walked away from her, disgusted by her friend's actions.

Rarity got in some growling of her own. This was supposed to be a birthday party, not a "let's gang up on and accuse Rarity" party. If one more person asked her about her activities, past or present … well, she would not be responsible for what she might do.

A welcome distraction came in the form of it being time to cut Sweetie Belle's birthday cake. While Rainbow Dash brought the cake to the table, Rarity jumped for the knife. Cutting the cake would give her something to focus on other than how her friends were one-by-one turning against her. Her hands were unsteady from the stress of said friends, but Rarity managed to cut the cake in an even clean line that left everyone none the wiser.

The guests started to help themselves, but Rarity made Sweetie Belle and her close friends got the biggest slices first. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo went about stuffing their faces. Sweetie Belle ate her slice with a more delicate approach.

_Huh._ Rarity thought to herself, observing Sweetie Belle cutting her cake into pieces with finesse. _I guess some of those lessons about proper dining got through to her after all._

Scootaloo's messy approach cost her, as a piece of cake smeared all over her cheek.

"Scootaloo, you got something on you." Rarity said, out of a habit of correcting others when she felt they were being uncouth.

"I'll get it!" Sweetie Belle offered, throwing her silverware down. She grabbed Scootaloo's shirt and pulled her upper body down, putting it in range for Sweetie Belle to lick the frosting off with her tongue. Scootaloo didn't think much of it, resigning to it. After a minute, Sweetie Belle had gotten it all off, but she continued licking.

"Uh, Sweetie Belle, Ah think you got it all." Apple Bloom said.

"Did I?" Sweetie Belle said, removing her tongue. "Oh. Well, her cheeks were so sweet I didn't noticed."

Sweetie Belle's words made Rarity stiffen up like a watchdog taking point. There were plenty of things Rarity would admit she didn't much about, but she knew how to recognize an attempt at flirting with she heard one.

Rarity grabbed Sweetie Belle's shoulder. "Girls, would it be all right if I take Sweetie Belle upstairs to talk to her alone?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked to each other. Scootaloo shrugged. "Uh, sure?"

"Well, yer tha big sister." Apple Bloom said.

Rarity lifted Sweetie Belle up from her seat and dragged her along up the stairs. Sweetie Belle was more than a little confused as to why. If Rarity had a surprise gift for her, then there wasn't any reason she couldn't give it in front of the guests. Right?

Going into Sweetie Belle's room, Rarity set Sweetie Belle on her bed and locked the door behind them.

"Rarity, what's going on?" Sweetie Belle asked.

""So sweet I didn't notice"? So sweet I didn't notice?" Rarity growled, making clawing motions at the air. "Perhaps the double-meaning was lost on Scootaloo, but I caught what you were trying to do! You were trying to flirt with her!"

"Uh, yeah." Sweetie Belle said. "What's wrong with that?"

"You -" Rarity stammered. "You can't do that! Scootaloo is your friend!"

Sweetie Belle drew her legs up on her bed, wrapping her arms around herself. An air of uncertainty flowed around her. "What if I want her as something more than a friend?"

Rarity said nothing, standing there with her jaw hanging open. "You … you can't do that. There's too much risk. What if something happens and damages your friendship with her?"

"You did it with Rainbow Dash."

Rarity switched from the offensive to defensive. "That's different."

"How is it any different?" Before Rarity had the chance to answer, Sweetie Belle offered another difficult question. "Rarity, please. It's my birthday. Can't we let it slide for now?"

Rarity brought her hand to cover her eyes. "Oh, I am such a hypocrite ..."

"What?"

"Nothing." Rarity pointed her finger at the door and used her magic to unlock. "Go back downstairs, Sweetie Belle. I'll be with you in a minute."

Sweetie Belle got off the bed, happy to escape without any serious punishments beyond the threat of further talks. She stopped at the door.

"You know … everything I learned about flirting, I learned from watching you." Sweetie Belle said before going down the stairs.

Rarity clutched at her chest as though she had been stabbed through the heart. She could tell from Sweetie Belle's hesitant, yet admiring tone she had meant it as a compliment. As something to butter Rarity up a little to keep her from getting too angry. But for Rarity, it felt like it was all the justification needed to give Applejack a noose with which to sentence Rarity to hanging.

Rarity collapsed onto Sweetie's bed. How could she have been so careless, so negligent she served as Sweetie Belle's own personal flirtation tutor? Why wouldn't she lock Sweetie Belle in her room or push her to the side during her many ill-fated attempts at finding a suitor? She could add that to her list of mistakes, alongside her seduction of Spike.

Rarity sighed. She pushed herself up and headed down the stairs so her absence didn't make the party conspicuous.

But try as she might to keep up the appearance of enjoying the party, her heart just wasn't in it anymore.

* * *

The next morning, Rarity woke up with a sense of dread and foreboding surrounding her. Her room was dressed in fine colors of lavenders, but they might as well have been grey the way she was feeling.

"Oh." Rarity sat up and took her sleeping mask off. Experiencing a slight shiver, Rarity pressed her finger to her chest, feeling how empty they were. She may have been overthinking it, but she felt the emptiness inside her chest reflected the emptiness she felt in her heart.

Yeah, she was overthinking it.

She thought about taking her powder, then thought better of it when she remembered her conversations with Applejack and Twilight. Rarity made a face of disgust. She did not want to talk of those two again, let alone talk to them, for some time. She knew they would be around sometime today, though.

"Hey." Rainbow Dash said, walking into the room with an envelope in her hand.

"Good morning, Rainbow Dash." Rarity yawned. "What's in the mail?"

"Good news." Rainbow Dash said, sitting on the bed and flicking the envelope towards Rarity. "I know Applejack and Twilight got to you yesterday, so this couldn't have come at a better time."

Intrigued by what Rainbow Dash meant by that, Rarity lifted the letter up and opened it. There was a folded postcard inside. Unfolding it revealed it was invitation to a runway show in Manehatten.

"Oh, and it's from Prim Hemline. I haven't heard from her in awhile. I thought she had forgotten me." Rarity said with a satisfaction in her voice, putting the letter against her chin. Rainbow Dash was right. This couldn't have come at a better time. A perfect opportunity for her to escape from Ponyville and just get away from it all. All the stress. All the mistrust. Plus, she could drum up more business for her store.

* * *

In Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was busying herself with slamming the trees until they yielded their shiny red fruits. Just because she wanted to have a go at Rarity as soon as possible didn't mean she could put off doing her morning chores.

"Applejack?" A voice said. A voice Applejack disliked hearing outside of certain contexts. It was Silver Lens, coming to the farm to see her outside of their scheduled appointment. That didn't sit right with Applejack.

"Wut do y'all want, Silver Lens?" Applejack growled as roundhouse kicked another tree.

Silver Lens adjusted her glasses. "I wanted to talk to you. I've been going over some of the things that were said in our previous sessions."

"Yeah? And?"

"And I think you might be hanging onto some traumas." Silver Lens held up her clipboard. "I think you might be struggling to process your emotions and not sharing this could lead to harmful developments in your psyche."

"Ah have no idea wut yer talkin' about. And besides, aren't y'all supposed the therapist? Aren't you supposed to find and stop these things before they become a problem?"

"Yes, but my job requires my patients to trust me and that I be kept up to date. For example ..." Silver Lens flipped a page on her clipboard. "Like when you brought a water bottle full of milk to Rarity's house?"

Applejack stopped working on her orchards.

"You heard about that, huh?"

"I did. It makes me worry that you have some unresolved issues with Rarity." Silver Lens. "You might be holding onto a grudge or a resentment of some kind."

Applejack clenched her fist. There was that word again, "grudge." She didn't have a grudge against Rarity for anything Rarity might have. She had a a grievance against for possibly nursing Rainbow Dash again, when Rarity knew she wasn't supposed to be, given how well it ended the last time. Not a grudge, a grievance. A different "G" word in its entirety!

"Ah'm fine." Applejack insisted.

Silver Lens sighed, reminded of Rarity. "What is with you people and insisting you're fine when you know you're not? I know you're not. Princess Cadence knows you're not ..."

"Silver Lens? Git off mah farm."

Silver Lens nodded and left out of respect for Applejack's demands. It was her property, after all. But she was going to report right to Cadence.

Silver Lens' departure alone wasn't enough for Applejack's rage to simmer down. She pulled an apple out of a basket and slammed it against the side of a tree, turning it into a sludgy paste.

"Applejack!" This time it was someone Applejack was happy to see, as Twilight stepped into the orchard.

"Howdy, Twi." Applejack said, forcing her voice to sound calmer than she was to avoid scaring Twilight. "Wut can Ah do ya fer?"

"I heard you had problem with Rarity involving a bottle full of milk?" Twilight asked.

"So you heard about that, too, huh?" Applejack asked. "Wut about it?"

Twilight pointed her thumb at her chest. "I also have a problem with Rarity that involves … _milk_."

Applejack smirked and rested against the tree. She was liking where this was going. "Yeah, so?"

"So I figured you might be interested in accompanying me to the Carousel Boutique so I can give Rarity a piece of my mind." Twilight pumped her fist, shaking it through the air.

"Ah would indeed." Applejack had a malicious smirk on her face. Rarity might be able to match Twilight and herself in games of words and double-talk individually, but together, they would be able to press something out of her.

They marched out of the orchards and towards Rarity's house, Twilight angry while Applejack was a sort of angry-satisfied mix of emotions. With Twilight's help, Rarity would get her comeuppance.

"Rarity!" Twilight shouted, banging on the door. "Rarity, get out here!"

"Ugh." Rather than Rarity answering them, it was Sweetie Belle. Turning eighteen must have done some kind of transformation on her. Her frazzled hair and wrinkled eyelids from lack of sleep made Sweetie Belle look the exact same way Rarity did when she was woken up too soon in the morning. "Rarity's not here."

"What?" Twilight was outraged. "Where is she, then?"

"She went out with Rainbow Dash ..." Sweetie Belle rested against the door and went back to her sleeping. Twilight knocked on the door to wake her up. "To Manehatten!" Sweetie Belle yelped. "Now, can I go back to bed, please?" Sweetie Belle grabbed the doorknob, eager to close the door and go back to bed.

"Yes … _after_ you let us in and let us use the phone."

* * *

Rarity rested against the back of the couch of the train. With everyone else on the car keeping to themselves, Rarity could enjoy alone time with her reflection in the window. Except for Rainbow Dash sitting next to her.

"Rainbow Dash." Rarity said as she felt Dash's hand walk along her side. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Dash fibbed.

"Rainbow Dash, as flattering as it is that you can't keep your hands off me, we are in public." Rarity growled.

"Relax." Rainbow Dash slid her hand in the hole of Rarity's dress, meant for Rarity's arm. "I'll be subtle about it." Dash shoved her hand through, sliding in and downwards until she could cup Rarity's breasts, the only hint they were doing anything inappropriate was a slight bulge in Rarity's dress where Dash's hand was.

"Rainbow Dash, please try to control yourself." Rarity said.

"I can't help it." Dash ran her fingers over the underside of Rarity's breasts. "You have the best chest in Equestria ..."

Rarity giggled. "Oh, darling."

"Your breast is kinda empty." Rainbow Dash whispered, feeling the weightlessness in Rarity's breast that came from it being dry of milk. "You want to take some powder when we get home?"

"Perhaps, darling. I'm not in the mood right now, but maybe that will change."

The train jolted, signaling it was about to stop."I believe this is our stop. You might want to remove your hand before someone sees us."

Rainbow Dash removed her hand, allowing Rarity to stand up from the chair without anyone noticing Rainbow Dash's inappropriate behavior. They left the train station and made their way to Prim Hemline's studio.

"Oh! Rarity!" Prim Hemline greeted them as soon as they entered. "Excellent!" Prim took Rarity's hand and guided her up to the stage. "Just pick a room and set up shop with your assistant there." Rainbow Dash pouted at being called Rarity's assistant. "I hope you'll understand this event is somewhat more low-key than Fashion Week, so there won't be as many celebrities judges."

After Prim left them, Rarity exalted in the feeling of being here. It meant her name was on the verge on becoming a household name, one known for her intriguing and fabulous designs. She stood on the stage, observed some of the other designers, and turned towards the seating area. She imagined filled with people, cheering for her designs.

"Well, well, well. Look what the manticore dragged in. Prim must have scraping the bottom of the barrel to invite you to this event."

Rarity's eye twitched. She recognized that voice.

"Suri Polomare." Rarity spat, turning to a woman made distinct from the other designers by her purple curled hair and a blue neck tie. Next to her was a shorter woman with cropped blue hair – her assistant, Coco Pommel.

"I would have thought you'd been disqualified for being a talentless plagiarist." Rarity snarled.

"Oh, darling, you can't prove that, mmkay?" Suri said. "Though after the last time, I'm surprised you would show your face after the last time, when I nearly beat you."

"I'm more surprised you would show yours, you _hack_." Rarity said. "I pity you, Suri. Some day, people are going to catch onto you and you will be left with nothing. You'll be denied entry to every contest. No one will trust you. You'll be out of a job and no will take you in."

"Funny." Suri said, patting Coco Pommel on the back. "Coco Pommel was in the same situation before I swooped in and rescued her again." Suri gave Coco a look, which made Coco Pommel shrink away.

"You want to me to beat her up?" Rainbow Dash offered, putting her fist in her palm. "I can totally take her on. She's scrawny and can't fly."

"You might want to pull on your attack dog's collar, Rarity, mmkay?" Suri said.

"Suri, you'll lucky if she even has a collar for me to pull on." Rarity held her arm in front of Rainbow Dash, telling her to stand down without words.

Rarity trailed Suri up and down, taking the measure of her nemesis. She looked towards Coco Pommel and got locked in to Coco Pommel's eyes. A mistake, as Rarity felt assaulted by those eyes.

Those eyes … which recognized her. Those eyes which saw her as an anchoring ship, bringing her out of despair. Those eyes which looked so familiar, which looked … identical to the eyes Rainbow Dash would look at Rarity with in her weakest moments.

Rarity hiccuped, her voice breaking.

Rainbow Dash noticed her beau's distress."Rarity?"

"Oh, Coco … I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Rarity cried, before running off the stage.

"Rarity!" Rainbow Dash chased after her.

"Should we go after her?" Coco Pommel asked in a timid voice. "It would be the nice thing to do."

Suri smacked Coco Pommel upside the head. "Coco Pommel, after your time on the street you should have learned by now. Being nice will get you nothing in this town."

"Rarity?" Rainbow Dash called. She kept calling Rarity's name until she found Rarity backstage, with her knees and arms cradled around herself and crying to herself.

"Rarity." Rainbow Dash said, sitting down next to her. Rarity looked up from her knees at Dash, then buried her face back in her knees. "Rarity, what's wrong?"

"It's ..." Rarity sniffed. "It's Coco Pommel. I left her … the last time I saw her, I left with a job so she wouldn't have to work for Suri anymore. Now I've returned, and she's working for Suri again. Why? What happened? I tried to put her in a brighter place … I offered her a light. I looked into her eyes just now and I could see my light had gone out in her eyes."

"So she didn't stay away from Suri. So what? It's her loss." Rainbow Dash said.

"It's so much more than that, Rainbow Dash." Rarity sniffed. She adjusted herself, turning to Rainbow Dash. "If you wanted to leave me, could you? Could you, well and truly leave me?"

"Of course! Do you think if there wasn't enough good to outweigh the bad, I wouldn't be able to bail on you?"

Rarity smiled for a brief moment, her nerves soothed. "Wait. The good includes more than just my cleavage and my milk, right?"

"Of course!" Rainbow Dash waited a moment for the best comedic timing. "But your cleavage and milk are pretty great, too."

Whatever laughs Rainbow's comment might have other provoked out of Rarity were set aside, as Rarity placed her hands on her Dash's cheeks. "Darling, about Coco Pommel ...I looked at her eyes and I saw you. I saw us. Looking at her and Suri … it was like looking into a mirror of ourselves. You're my Coco, and I'm ..." Rarity brought her face down into Rainbow Dash's chest. "_I'm Suri!_"

"Hey." Rainbow Dash said. "You're not Suri. You're way better than Suri. You're better than ten Suris."

Rarity looked up at Rainbow Dash. "You think so?"

Rainbow Dash ran her fingers through Rarity's hair. "I know so. Come on. Let's get back up there. If you don't even compete, Suri will win by default. You're not gonna let that happen, right?"

Rarity nodded. She wiped a few remaining tears off her face. "You're right, darling. Come. Let's see if we can learn why Coco Pommel went back to working for Suri." Rarity stood up. Rainbow Dash followed. They went back upstage, where Suri was chatting up with Prim Hemline, laying on the charm. This worked to Rarity's advantage, as it meant Coco Pommel was left alone.

"Coco Pommel?" Rarity asked from behind, startling Coco Pommel.

"Oh." Coco squealed, turning to them. "Rarity! You startled me."

"Yes." Rarity said. "So sorry about that, dear. I was wondering, could you tell us why you're working for Suri Polomare again? Wasn't that job with my friend enough to pay your wages?"

"Oh, it was, while it lasted." Coco Pommel said. "After the production finished, your friend found other people for work for her. I couldn't find any jobs after that. I tried to sell my own designs, but everyone I marketed to had someone else already. Someone who was _hipper_ and _prettier_ and already had their own trophies." Coco Pommel crossed her arms and sighed. "I was just a little girl trying to get into an unfriendly fashion world. I was out on the street, with no job, no home, I-I got so desperate I begged Suri to take me back."

Rarity felt sympathetic for Coco Pommel. The fashion world was unassuming to most people, but for those in the know, it was a competitive, stressful market where the slightest mistake could set a career back for years. But for Coco to have to go back to Suri was unfair in ways Rarity had no words for.

"Coco Pommel." Suri snapped. "Why are you fraternizing with the enemy? That is not mmmkay, mmmkay?"

"I'm sorry." Coco Pommel pointed towards Suri. "I have to, um, go."

Rarity nodded to show she understood.

Prim Hemline found a spot with strong acoustics and clapped her hands. "Okay, everyone! That's enough for today!"

"Come on, Rainbow Dash." Rarity said. "Let's check into a hotel for now." Rarity glanced at Coco Pommel. "We're not done with her yet."

* * *

Rarity and Dash checked into the nearby hotel and went up to their room. Rarity and Rainbow Dash were on laying on the bed, cuddling with each other when the phone for room service rang.

"Ignore it." Rainbow Dash said, nuzzling her head into Rarity's shoulder and holding hands with her. "It's probably a salesman."

The phone continued ringing, which started to annoy both of them.

"Fine." Rainbow Dash said with resignation. "Answer it."

Rarity picked up the phone. "You're reached Rarity Belle. How may I help you?" She was greeted with a truck load of swear words from a familiar Southern accent. "Applejack, darling, swearing is not the best way to start a conversation."

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow. What could have motivated Applejack to go so far as to call Rarity in a hotel phone?

"All right, y'all got a point there." Applejack admitted to Rarity. "But still! Y'all said you'd talk with Twilight and Ah tomorrow at Sweetie Belle's birthday party yesterday, and y'all up and left for Manehatten instead of facing the music!"

"Applejack … I never said tomorrow. I said "sometime." I said "later." At no point did I specify the day after. You and Twilight took it upon yourselves to interpret my words in a way that suited your own purposes."

"Ah, uh … well, that's a good point there, Rarity."

"Thank you for saying as much, Applejack. I will also thank you to leave me alone until I am ready to talk."

Rarity slammed the phone down, hanging up before Applejack could say another word.

Rarity huffed. "Interpreting words to in such a way to suit one's own purposes is supposed to be _my_ thing."

"I know." Rainbow Dash said, stroking Rarity's hair. "Your own thing." Rainbow Dash resumed cuddling. Rarity did not return the favor, which upset Rainbow Dash.

"Rarity ..." She pawed at Rarity's cheek. "We're supposed to be cuddling. You're not cuddling."

"I'm sorry, darling. I'm just thinking about Coco Pommel. If I had checked in on her … if I sent her a letter, she wouldn't have to work for Suri now."

"Forgot about it." Rainbow Dash said. "We came here to _escape_ stress, remember? We're not trying to be heroes."

"I saw something in her when I was looking at her eyes, Rainbow Dash. I saw Suri had a hold on her."

"What?"

Rarity turned to Rainbow Dash, kissed her on the forehead and cupped her chin.

"The same kind of hold I have on you. I'd be willing to bet, if I made myself appealing to her, I could transfer that hold to me."

Rainbow Dash lifted her head. Rarity slipped off the bed and stood up tall. She shook her hips and swung her breasts back and forth, giving Rainbow Dash a show and reassuring herself of her own attractive body.

Rainbow Dash was distracted by Rarity's flaunting but regained her focus. "Let me make sure I follow. You think if you seduce Coco Pommel, her feelings for Suri will transfer to you? She's just … change one Mistress for another the way you would trade in an appliance for a newer model?"

"That's the idea, yes." Rarity said as she swung her breasts back and forth. Dash licked her lips before remembering Rarity wasn't doing it for her.

"Hey ..." Dash said. "Coming onto somebody's girl is kind of uncool, Rarity. How would you like if someone came up and flirted with me?"

"This is different." Rarity said. "I'm not stealing anything. I'm saving Coco Pommel from Suri. I owe it to her."

"So, what? It's okay to steal girlfriends when their girlfriends are sleazeballs like Suri? Sex and seduction is okay when it's for the greater good?"

Rarity laughed. "Ha! That could be the name of my autobiography. _The Life of Rarity Belle: Sex and Seduction For the Greater Good._ But to answer your question, darling … yes, it's okay when brutes like Suri Polomare are involved."

"Uh-huh." The more Rainbow Dash thought about it, the more she had to ask a question. "But if Coco Pommel and Suri are mirrors of us, then how do you know Coco Pommel won't be as loyal to Suri as I am to you?"

"You don't want to leave me, do you?"

"No."

Rarity waved her finger. "That's the difference. Coco Pommel wants to leave Suri."

Rarity put her hand on the doorknob.

"Even if she doesn't know it yet."

Rarity left the room. She didn't have to wander far to find her prey, as going down the stairs and through the hall brought her to Coco Pommel, who was standing right in front of a hall closet used by the hotel staff.

_Already in front of a closet._ Rarity thought. _How convenient!_

"Coco!"

"Rarity!" Coco exclaimed. "Um, hello, again."

"What are you doing here, darling?" Rarity asked, resting her head on her hand. All part of the greater seduction ploy.

"Oh, um, Suri and I are staying here for the event. It's quite close to Prim Hemline's studio, so the walk isn't far. Suri's actual apartment is a ways down north."

"Uh-huh." Rarity nodded, making a small mental note of what Coco was saying while advancing towards her. "Why are you out here and not in your room?"

"Suri wanted me to fetch her coffee." Coco answered, not noticing Rarity's approach. "She likes her coffee."

"Is that so?" Rarity went around Coco and opened the closet door.

"Yes." Coco Pommel looked around, confused about how Rarity had disappeared. She was unaware Rarity was behind her instead of front of her. Coco let out a yelp when she felt an intangible grip pull her backwards into the closet with Rarity. Rarity made haste to shut the door, making the light from the hallway under the door the only source of light in the cramped room, stuffed with tools and boxes.

"Rarity?" Coco squeaked with fear. "What are you doing?"

"Darling, I want you to leave Suri." Rarity said. "But I know you won't do that without some encouragement. I looked at you in the studio and I saw you had a lot in common with Rainbow Dash. Maybe not in personality, maybe not in looks, but definitely in … interests."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about ..." Coco stuttered. She was in a dark room with a person whose intents were unknown to her. She had good reason to be panicked.

"Darling, please don't be shy. You wouldn't have stayed with Suri if you didn't like being hurt, at least on some level."

Coco Pommel was frightened out of her wits when she felt Rarity wrap her arms around her neck.

"Since you're not being forthcoming, you'll forgive me if I engage in a little experimentation. Rainbow Dash is rather into asphyxiation, so I'll start with what I know and go from there."

"Rarity ..." Coco squeaked. "Please … stop." She tried to pry Rarity's arm off her neck, but as feminine as Rarity was, she still had more muscle mass than Coco Pommel's thin frame.

Rarity listened to Coco Pommel's gasps for breath. They were all wrong. When she did this to Rainbow Dash, Rainbow's gasps for breathe were long and calm, taking in every minute, enjoying the feeling of being choked, savoring the adrenaline rush that came from thinking her next breathe could be her last. Coco Pommel's gasps were short, sharp and worried, wanting air for her lungs more than anything.

"Right." Rarity said, releasing her grip from Coco Pommel. "That was a bust. My apologies, darling. That gets Rainbow Dash raring to go, but everyone has their own preference, I suppose." Rarity got another idea. "Speaking of bust ..."

Rarity wrapped her arms around Coco again and pulled her in, forcing her head into Rarity's generous breasts. Rarity knew there was a number of people, male and females among them, who would have liked to have the sensual sensation of their heads _smothered_ in Rarity's flesh.

When that also failed to provoke the desired response out of Coco Pommel, Rarity quit doing it. Rarity didn't notice Coco Pommel whimper.

"There must be something I'm missing ..." Rarity rubbed her chin. "Oh! I know."

The room was lit up as a result of Rarity lifting Coco Pommel by her shirt in the air with her magic. Rarity adjusted her grasp on Coco Pommel's body until she was hanging in the air like a slab of pig meat, ripe for carnivorous and predatory feeding.

With an amazing amount of gall, Rarity brought her hand down on Coco Pommel's rear, giving her a spank, the sound of which echoed through the closet.

"How was that, darling?" Rarity asked, turning Coco Pommel back to face her.

There was a single tear on Coco Pommel's cheek. Seeing it caused Rarity to have a realization. A realization she was being a terrible person by doing this. She should have stopped when Coco Pommel pleaded her to at the start. She should have respected Coco Pommel's right to privacy.

"Oh my goodness ..." Rarity covered her face with her hand, setting Coco Pommel down. "Coco Pommel, dear, I am so sorry, I thought – well, it doesn't really matter what I thought, does it? I should have stopped." Rarity held her arms out to embrace Coco. She stopped herself and rubbed her shoulder as though it was sore. "I'm sorry … a hug is probably the last thing you want from me right now."

Rarity opened the closet door and left, leaving a nervous and shuddering Coco Pommel behind.

Rarity went back up to her room, where Rainbow Dash was lying on the couch.

"Hey." Dash said. "How did it go?"

"Terrible!" Rarity said, her eyes forming tears. "I came on too strong and I scared the poor girl out of her wits! I don't know what I was thinking! What came over me, what possessed me to think that bringing a woman into a closet and trying to seduce her was a good idea?"

Rainbow Dash looked at Rarity with interest. "Well, if it makes you feel better, if I was me, I would have been all over that. Sounds like fun."

"But it wasn't you." Rarity sat on the bed, waiting for Rainbow Dash to comfort her. As Rarity knew she would, Rainbow Dash hooked her arm around Rarity's shoulder.

"This is worse than that time with Applejack or Spike!" Rarity wailed. "At least then, I had the excuse I wasn't in my right mind. I was in complete sanity and perfect mental health when I decided to get my filthy, lecherous hands all over Coco! How could I ever make it up to her? She won't be able to even look at me."

"Uh, Rarity?"

"She's probably off telling Suri now. All about how mean old Rarity invaded her personal space ..."

"Rarity, there's a note under the door."

"What? Oh, I see." Rarity looked at the door. Someone had slid it in a pink card under the door. Rarity got off the bed and picked it up. It read;

_In the next thirty minutes, come to room 1309, dressed with a white shirt and black skirt. You know, like a schoolteacher or a secretary._

_I'll be waiting. _

Rainbow Dash read the note over Rarity's shoulder. "Interesting."

"Yes." Rarity said. "Too interesting not to investigate."

"I don't know, Rarity … dressed like a schoolteacher? Doesn't that sound a bit fishy to you?"

"Perhaps, but it's only five rooms from us. You can keep watch outside. I saw a costume shop on the way over here. I'll pay it a visit, get a costume on loan, then come back with enough to time to spare." Rarity handed Rainbow Dash the card and left.

Rainbow Dash stepped outside the room to keep watch. Both for Rarity's return and for any shady types who might be around. As she was going to be watching the halls like a bird of prey, Rainbow Dash didn't think to make sure the hotel door was all the way closed, leaving a little crack.

"Ah, that Rarity girl." A gruff voice said. "She's something, no?"

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash answered dreamily. She got back on her guard and looked to the source. "Wait, who are you?" Dash tensed up, ready for a fight.

"Oh, I am, how you say, a traveler." The person speaking was wearing purple sunglasses, an oversized trench coat, and a large hat. "I saw Rarity enter the hotel and had to follow so I could ..." He made a gesture. "Admire her natural beauty."

Rainbow Dash chuckled. She was put at ease by the traveler's description of Rarity. Rarity was built like a model. Anybody would want to follow her for a closer look. "Yeah, she is good-looking. Curvy, too."

"Is that so?" The traveler inquired.

A better argument for the traveler's question could not have been found, as Rarity returned, dressed in a tight, white shirt with long sleeves, glasses, and a black skirt which reached her knees.

"Wow." Rainbow Dash commented. The traveler seemed taken aback as well.

"Do you like it?" Rarity asked, strutting forward. "I thought about getting one that was a size too small to show my cleavage and my midriff, but I figured this one showed off my curves better." Rarity glanced at the traveler. "My _natural_ curves, I might add."

"Yeah, sure. Natural." The traveler said in a more feminine voice.

"I'm sorry?" Rarity asked.

The traveler cleared his throat. "Just a cough."

"Well, if you'll both excuse me for depriving you of your gawking, I have a date … I think." Rarity strutted down the hall. Rainbow Dash's jaw was knocked loose from the view of Rarity's walk, which emphasized her hips.

Rarity knocked on the door to the 1309 room. "Hello? Is anybody there? I came, dressed like you said."

Rarity had just about decided whoever was on the other side of the door had lost their nerve when she heard the door handle click. The door was opened a little bit, Coco Pommel's eyes shining through the gap.

Coco Pommel gasped. "You made it! I didn't think you'd actually come!" She opened the door to let Rarity in, who was now confused.

"What? But I -"

"Please, take a seat on the bed." Coco insisted. Rarity did so. Taking a moment to take it all in, Rarity noticed Coco Pommel was dressed like a schoolgirl.

Schoolgirl. Coco Pommel was dressed like a schoolgirl … and the card had told Rarity to dress like a schoolteacher. Rarity didn't have to be a math genius to put two and two together.

"Coco Pommel, dear, what is going on?"

"Well, uh ..." Coco Pommel put a finger to her lip. "I liked it when you spanked me in the closet ..."

"What? But – but you were crying!"

"I wasn't crying because it hurt." Coco Pommel said. "I was crying because it felt like I was betraying Suri, giving in to you. But Suri went out, and the more I thought about it ..."

Rarity smirked. "The more you realized you didn't care what Suri thought?"

Coco Pommel seemed reluctant to answer, but she nodded her head. "Yes. So I followed you back to your room and slid that card in under the door. Now you're here. Yay!" Coco Pommel clapped.

Rarity exhaled in relief, satisfied she had made the right decision in coming on to Coco Pommel the way she did.

Perhaps this was going to give her an arrogant ego complex about her oh-so-superb decision-making skills.

"You know," Rarity started, taking off the glasses. She lifted the shirt up, exposing her bust, and wiped the glasses with the shirt. "Inviting me here while Suri's not here is quite naughty of you, Coco Pommel."

Rarity put the glasses back on, tilting them towards Coco.

"And we know what happens to naughty girls, don't we?" Rarity spread adjusted her legs in a way that would be ideal for sitting.

Coco Pommel let out a squee. "Yes! Yes, we do!" She jumped into onto the bed and crawled onto Rarity's legs. She made sure to hold her rear up high so Rarity could reach it.

Rarity raised her hand and brought it down hard, causing Coco Pommel to yelp.

"Oh, teacher!" Coco whined, getting into character. "Please stop. I'll behave."

"I'm afraid that's not good enough, dear." Rarity said. "We must make sure to beat that misconduct out of you." She spanked Coco again … and again … and again …

"S-stop!" Coco struggled to say, her face turning red with embarrassment and arousal. Rarity could tell she didn't mean it based on the huge smile she was wearing. Rarity continued spanking, Coco Pommel's delighted screams filling the room.

Coco's screams reached the hallway, confusing Rainbow Dash and the traveler.

"What are they doing in there?" The traveler asked.

"Beats me." Rainbow Dash said. "Knowing Rarity, though, it's probably something good."

The traveler eyed Rainbow Dash for a second. When he was sure Rainbow Dash wasn't looking, he whipped out a camera and peeped into her room. He took multiple snapshots, clicking away, his success at going unnoticed ensured by the camera's lack of flash or shutter noise.

"Well, it's been fun." The traveler said, taking his leave.

"Yeah, sure." Rainbow Dash didn't pay him any attention.

A few more minutes later, Rarity came out of the room. Unseen to Rainbow Dash in the room was a lustful and panting Coco Pommel on the bed. Rarity closed the door.

"Did you have fun?" Rainbow Dash asked Rarity.

"A little bit." Rarity admitted. "I'll make sure to include you next time."

Rainbow Dash smiled. "That's all I ask."

"I'd best get this back to the shop. It's only a rental." Rarity gesturing to her outfit.

"I wouldn't mind you dressing like that more often."

"Darling, please … oh, who am I kidding? I look gorgeous. I must make an outfit like this for myself when we get back."

Rarity left to return the costume. When she returned, she brought Rainbow Dash to bed to make up for lost cuddles.

* * *

"WHAT IS THIS!?" Rarity grabbed her hair and almost pulled it out. She was stopped by Rainbow Dash, who knew Rarity would complain for weeks while her hair regrew.

They had gone to bed last night and returned to the studio today to be greeted with a most unwelcome sight. Suri had stolen Rarity's designs again, just like at Fashion Week.

"Suri!" Rarity yelled at thin air.

Suri appeared, walking towards them with a spring in her step, Coco Pommel beside carrying bags beside her. "You called my name?"

"What is the meaning of this?" Rarity pointed at the dresses – the dresses Suri stole.

"It's like I keep trying to tell y'all, darling. It's every woman for herself in this town."

Rarity huffed. "How you manage to be where you are now pilfering everyone's designs without getting caught amazes me. I imagine there are quite a few would-be designers whose careers were lost to your thievery."

Suri shrugged. "Eh. They were weak."

"What I want to know is, how did you even get them? I wasn't stupid enough to share anything with you except for my contempt this time."

"You can thank your rainbow friend for that." Suri pointed to Dash. "She was so busy watching your silicone body strut down the hall she didn't notice me take pictures."

"You were the traveler with the glasses!" Rainbow realized.

"Ooh, she figured it out. Rarity, give your pet a dog biscuit, mmmkay?"

"Can I beat her up now?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I'm almost tempted to say yes ..." Rarity muttered.

"Rarity!" Prime Hemline beamed towards them. "Do you have your designs ready for show?"

"Uh, funny story about that." Rainbow Dash forced a chuckle.

Suri glared at Rarity, daring her to try to tell Prim about Suri's activities – who would Prim believe, an established Manehatten designer or a wide-eyed girl from a country with big dreams?

"I've ran into a minor setback." Rarity hissed. "If you'll just excuse me for an hour, I'll have something for you."

"All right. I'm looking forward to your designs, Miss Belle. Don't let me down!" Prim waved her Rarity. She and Rainbow Dash bolted from the studio back to the hotel.

"Coco," Suri said to her assistant, "go, like, follow them and make sure they don't that trick they did last time where they made new clothes in under a day."

Although she didn't want to, Coco Pommel nodded. She followed them back to the hotel.

* * *

Rarity and Rainbow Dash retreated to their hotel room, where Rainbow Dash began pacing back and forth.

"What are we gonna do?" Rainbow Dash whined. "The last time Suri pulled this trick, we had all our friends here to help you make new dresses, but you only have me!"

"Yes, yes, it's a conundrum, isn't it?" Rarity muttered. She clicked her tongue, deep in thought.

"Whatever we decided to do, we better decide fast." Rainbow said. "I'll bet Suri's telling Prim about how "her" inspiration for the dresses."

Rarity snapped her fingers. "You know what, Rainbow Dash? I can accept not winning this time. But for Celestia's sake, Suri cannot be allowed to continue robbing people's designs! We must put a stop to it. We are not going to salvage ourselves. We are going to sabotage Suri."

Rainbow Dash sighed, tapping her head. "You know, I brought you that invite because I thought it would let us relax, not stress out even more ..."

"Think nothing of it, darling." Rarity swung the door open. She was surprised at first to find Coco Pommel. "Ah, Coco Pommel. If my guess is correct, Suri told you to spy on us?"

Coco Pommel nodded. "Um, yes. Um, please don't hate me ..."

"Hate you?" Rarity brought her arm around Coco and put Coco into her cleavage. "Darling, why would I would hate you? It's not not your fault you have to obey such a cruel, despicable woman." Rarity let her go. "Ta-ta!" Rarity shooed Coco Pommel away.

"Wait, that's it?" Rainbow asked. "You're just gonna let her go?"

"Yes, darling. We're just going to let her go … and in an hour or so, we'll go back to the studio." Rarity cupped Rainbow's cheek. "Trust me. I have a plan."

* * *

Sipping her coffee, Suri Polomare was feeling good about herself. Her assistant did what she told her to do, like a good assistant should. She had duped and fooled Rarity a second time, and she was going to get off scot-free because Coco would sabotage any of Rarity's attempts at salvaging her situation.

Suri went to check on "her" designs. She did a spit-take with her coffee. Someone had ruined them, taking a pair of scissors and cutting them up like they had been run through a blender.

"Who is responsible for this?" Suri demanded. "Who ruined my designs?"

"Your designs?" Rarity asked, walking up to Suri. "It's just as well."

"You!" Suri pointed at Rarity. "You did this?"

"My, my. Rainbow Dash, it seems as though Suri doesn't like it when her "every woman for herself" mantra gets turned against her, does she?"

Coco Pommel appeared on the scene. "Rarity, I did – oh." She noticed Suri. "Hello, Suri."

Suri saw the handles of scissors peeking out from Coco Pommel's pocket. "Coco, you ruined my dresses? After everything I did for you?"

"Rarity's dresses." Coco Pommel said, clenching her fists. "They were Rarity's dresses. And you didn't do anything for me! You took me off the streets because it was convenient for you! Between you and the streets I didn't HAVE a choice. At least, I thought as much … but Rarity coming back reminded me of how unpleasant you truly are. So when Rarity slipped this into my pocket ..." Coco Pommel pulled out a note. "Offering to make it worth my while if I ruined your – HER dresses you stole, well … I couldn't say no."

"Yes. You did a fine job. As promised ..." Rarity pulled out a sack of bits and handed it to Coco Pommel. "I imagine there's twice as much bits in there as Suri pays you in a year. Perhaps three times as much."

Suri sounded like a rabid wolverine when she snarled. "Grr! You won't get away with this, Coco Pommel! I'll tell everyone in Manehatten about how disloyal you are! You'll never work in this town again!"

"I imagine so, given Suri's penchant for deceit and trickery." Rarity said. She walked around Coco Pommel in circles. "Suri will lie to every business owner in the city, spread gossip and rumors everywhere. No one in this town will hire you again!"

Coco Pommel sniffed a little. All the work she did for Rarity sabotaging Suri's theft, and what did she have to show for it? Not only was Suri going to fire her, but after Suri made her rounds, she couldn't get work as something as lowly as a waitress.

Rarity threw her arm around Coco Pommel's shoulder. "Coco Pommel, how would you like to come to Ponyville to work as _my_ assistant?"

Coco Pommel brightened up. "Wha- you mean it?"

"Would I lie to you? You're a good assistant, you're a nice girl when _certain others_ aren't taking advantage of you and I could use an extra hand with my fashion business."

Suri snorted like a boar ready to charge. "You can't do that!"

"Miss Belle is free to do whatever she wishes, unlike you." Prim Hemline said. "Coco Pommel was kind enough to bring me this camera and its photos, which is more than sufficient proof for me to show you stole Rarity's designs. It is YOU, Suri Polomare, who will never work in this town again. And rest assured, with this discovery, we will be investigating all of your previous fashions lines to see if you stole them as well."

Suri's jaw dropped. Rarity knew Suri was as good as ruined.

"One last thing before I take my leave, Suri. You said something about silicone." Rarity placed a hand on her chest. "Well, they're real and they're _spectacular_."

"Come now, darlings." Rarity said, grabbing Rainbow Dash and Coco Pommel. "Let's go celebrate, shall we?"

* * *

Rarity had enough fashion for one day, so she went home with entourage, but not before Prim Hemline let her know she had a retroactive reward for second place for her stolen designs. Which was fine by Rarity, as long as first place wasn't Suri.

By the time they got home, it was dark outside. Sweetie Belle should have been in bed.

Rarity had no trouble entering her own house. Rainbow Dash didn't have any either, but Coco Pommel was nowhere near as comfortable as they were.

"I've never been to your house before ..." Coco muttered as Rarity set her keys on the table.

"Well, feel free to look around, darling. Oh, provided you don't wake Sweetie Belle."

"Who's Sweetie Belle?"

"Her sister." Dash answered. "Just turned eighteen a few days ago."

"That's nice." Coco mumbled. She watched as Rainbow Dash rummaged through the cabinets. "What are you doing?"

"Getting us something to celebrate beating Suri." Rainbow Dash pulled out a bottle of champagne.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity scolded. "Put that back! It's reserved for special occasions!"

"Are you saying beating Suri Polomare, exposing she's a fraud, and saving the careers of all the artists she's wrecked over the years on top of getting Coco Pommel as your new assistant isn't special?" Rainbow Dash smirked.

This was, of course, impressive on its own and cause for celebration, but Rarity was more focused on letting Coco Pommel know she was welcome.

So, sometime later, she and Rainbow Dash were drunk as could be, slurring their words, laughing at mundane things which weren't funny in the least and swaying back and forth. Coco Pommel held her liquor better, or least paced herself better, as she was still sober while they were slammed.

"You – you remember the time -" Rarity said. She and Rainbow Dash burst into laughter before she finished and whatever it was Rarity was going to say didn't come up in the conversation again.

Coco Pommel just smiled, watching as their laughter made their bodies move back and forth.

Rarity yelled when a splat appeared on her dress, getting the area around her breast damp.

"Rarity?" Coco Pommel asked. "Are you all right? What's going on?"

Rarity groaned.. She turned to Rainbow Dash. "It'sh … been too long, darling. Let'sh go upsssstairsh ..."

Rainbow Dash set her cup down and gave Rarity support to stand up. Despite being drunk, Rainbow Dash was still able to help Rarity up the stairs to their room.

Coco Pommel was mystified. What was Rarity talking about? What had been too long? She didn't want to interrupt their privacy. She also didn't want to be left in the dark. She remained indecisive, tilting her like a metronome until she thought of all the times she was indecisive under Suri's - for lack of a better word - "care."

Coco took a sip of her drink in the hopes the alcohol would give her confidence before going up the stairs. Rarity and Rainbow Dash had left the door to their room open. Coco took this to mean it was okay for her to come in, though she would have thought Rainbow Dash would have learned not to leave the door open after what Suri did in the hotel.

"H-hello?" Coco inched the door open. She blushed right away. Rainbow Dash was on top of Rarity, who had pulled her clothes down, exposing her massive breasts. Coco could tell they had been about to engage in ... consenting adult actions before she walked on them.

"Oh, hello, Coco, darling!" Rarity greeted with a surprising polite tone, as most people would be upset someone walked in on them before sex. "Do you need shomthing, darling? In cashhse you couldn't tell, Rainbow Dahsh and I were in the middle of shomthing ..."

"Oh no, nothing. It's no trouble, I'll just … leave." Coco Pommel began to close the door.

"Wait!" Rarity said. She patted an empty space next to the bed. "Come, sit down. We can talk for a bit."

"Um, are you sure?" Coco asked.

"Yesh! Rainbow Dahsh won't mind, ishn't that right, Dahsh?"

"Yeah, shure. Jusht … jusht as long as we get to our private time." Dash muttered.

Per Rarity's urging, Coco Pommel sat down on the side of the bed. "Um … do you want to cover up?"

"It'sh fine, dar-" Rarity was interrupted by a hiccup. "Darling! Now, tell ush what you need."

"Oh, no no!" Coco held her hands up. "I don't need anything at all. I was just worried about you two."

"That'sh shweet of you." Rarity muttered, swaying back and forth.

"Um ..." Coco stuttered, not sure how to process being allowed on a couple's bed while they were both ready to do the private tango. She supposed she might as well ask a question which was bothering her. "At the studio, you said something … about your breasts. Are they real? I know you said they were, but are they?"

"Yesh, of courshe!" Rarity curled her fingers around her breasts. "Real and proud of it."

"Yeah. Why would you think they weren't?"

"Well, um. In Manehatten, if a girl has anything bigger than b-cup, she has implants. That's the rule of thumb."

"Not here!" Rainbow Dash said. "We grow 'em up big out in the country, and I don't just mean the breashs. We do everything bigger here."

"If you like ..." Rarity offered, sitting up. "You can stay and watch, because they're about to get bigger."

Coco Pommel was surprised, confused, and more than a little bit intrigued. How could they get any bigger?

Rarity waved a spoon around. The spoon had a white substance like sugar or salt on it. "Watch." Rarity inserted the spoon into her mouth. A lump formed in her throat as she swallowed.

"Now what?" Coco asked out of curiosity. A few minutes in, little happened. A few more minutes in, however, Rarity's breasts began to grow bit by bit, expanding in diameter with every second and making sounds like liquid sloshing.

"Ah-haa ..." Rarity sighed. "That's good … it's been too long since we last did this, Rainbow Dash."

"Did what?" Coco asked, blushing a little.

Rarity looked to Rainbow Dash. "Should we tell her?"

"She already saw the powder. Too late to quit now."

"Coco ..." Rarity said. "Rainbow Dahsh and I have a little ritual we do. It involves … this." Rarity took her hands to her breasts and pressed the flesh, forcing a spurt of white liquid out.

"Breast milk?" Coco Pommel asked. She jumped off the bed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have interrupted you. I'll leave now." Coco Pommel made for the door, overhearing Rarity and Dash whisper to each other.

"Coco Pommel?" Rarity asked, stopping Coco Pommel in her tracks.

"Yes?" Coco asked.

"How would you like to join us tonight?" Rarity asked. "It's your first week with us, and I want it to be special. After all the time you spent under Suri, I want to make _you_ feel … _special_."

"Oh, gee, I don't know. Is- is Rainbow Dash okay with it?"

"Yes. What do you think we were whispering about? Sweet nothings to each other?

"Well, yes."

"Rainbow Dash and I have worked something out." Rarity explained. "Whether or not I can involved other people in our adult activities is dependent – and I quote – on whether or not Rainbow Dash finds it "sexy.""

"I have no problem backing off and watching you do it for Rarity inshtead." Rainbow Dash said, hovering in the air and adjusting herself like a scarf around Rarity's neck so there was room for Coco Pommel to lay on top.

"Oh, um. All right." Coco Pommel didn't want to intrude, but she figured she might as well after Rarity had been gracious enough to rescue her from Suri and give her a place to stay.

After they were done with their ... erm, consenting adult activities, Coco Pommel got off the bed, touching her fingers to her milk-stained chin. She was going to get a towel to wipe herself off with it.

Unknown to her, someone had been watching from the other side of the door. The door was open as Coco was interrupted by Rarity's invitation when she last tried to close it. On the other side Sweetie Belle. She was asleep, but the laughter Rarity and Dash made in the kitchen while drinking had woken her. She decided to follow the strange blue-haired woman to Rarity's bed, where Sweetie Belle had watched and learned the secret of the powder.

"So that's what they're doing ..." Sweetie Belle muttered. She saw Coco Pommel get up after they had finish and bolted for her bedroom before Coco found her out.

Coco stepped out of the room. She was confused why the door was swinging back and forth, like someone had been holding it and then sped off …

* * *

The next morning, Rarity raised an eyebrow when she woke up to find Rainbow Dash and Coco Pommel pressed up against her exposed breasts.

"Darlings?" Rarity spoke, rousing them both from slumber.

"Huh?" Dash muttered.

Coco Pommel smacked her lips and yawned. Her eyes widened at the sight of Rarity's valley of flesh. "Oh, Rarity! I'm so sorry! You invited me to your and Rainbow Dash's ritual and you were drunk and I knew I shouldn't have joined you but I did it anyway and -"

Rarity pinched Coco Pommel's mouth shut. "Rainbow Dash, inform Coco Pommel of the rule."

"No drama until after breakfast." Rainbow Dash said.

"Yes. We wouldn't to say something we regret because of an empty stomach."

Biding Rainbow Dash downstairs to get things out for a quick and easy breakfast, Rarity went down and made herself some coffee. Coco was the last one down, and she took a seat on the table.

Rarity made sure to give Coco some of the cocoa. Rarity took a sip of her own coffee before sitting down with Coco.

"So, what happened last night?" Rarity asked.

"You invited me to suckle your breast milk and … Rainbow Dash and I suckled it together." Coco sipped her coffee. "At the same time, I mean. I'm sorry."

"Darling, please. If anyone should apologize, it should be me."

Coco blinked. "What? I don't understand."

"Perhaps you should have taken into account our drunkenness, but I won't hold it against you. It's not a stretch to think I wouldn't have invited you to drink anyway. I'll let you in on a secret." Rarity clutched her breasts, which embarrassed Coco. "The feeling I get when I have two people nursing me at the same time … _oh_, it's like a stimulatory _overload!_ I can't get enough of it."

"So ..." Coco said. "What does that mean for me?"

Rarity took Coco's hand. "It means, provided you can overlook my transgressions, all is forgiven."

"You're overlooked." Coco blushed. She sipped her coffee. "If I'm honest, I kind of liked it. It was much nicer than anything Suri did for me."

Rarity narrowed her eyes, the way a tiger would before pouncing on prey. "Oh?"

"Yes. Sometimes Suri … Suri would have me involved sexually." Coco explained. "It was always about what she wanted, never what I wanted. Although I guess last night was more about what you wanted. You were nice about it, though. You asked me if I was uncomfortable, which more of a consideration than Suri ever gave me."

Rarity pursed her lips. "Excuse me, darling." She left the kitchen.

"Oh no." Rainbow Dash said. She went after Rarity.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Coco. Stay here for a minute, okay?" Rainbow Dash fibbed to Coco. She caught up with Rarity just before Rarity went through the door.

"You're not going where I think you're going, are you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"She abused Coco, darling." Rarity answered.

"Yeah, but we already figured that out." Rainbow Dash.

"Yes, but we didn't know it was sexual." Rarity growled. "I must make her suffer more."

"For what? Being a mirror of us? You don't abuse me."

"Some might have a different opinion. Ahem, Applejack."

Rainbow Dash ignored Rarity's comment about Applejack and focused on Suri. "She's already lost her job and she won't be able to find a job in Manehatten." Rainbow Dash explained. "How much more can you make her suffer?"

"You'd be surprised."

Rainbow Dash sighed and shook her head. "I'm not going to be able to stop you, am I?"

"No. Don't wait up for me, darling."

Rarity opened the door and left.

* * *

"Dear Suri Polomare ..." Rarity started, pacing as she held a quill and papyrus with her magic. "Hmm, what next? Oh yes, I know! I am terribly sorry for the way our last encounter ended." Rarity twirled and leaned forward to check the page to make sure the quill had transcribed adequately. "But Princess Celestia teaches to forgive and forget. I would be ever so honored if you would appreciate joining me for one of Fancypant's parties. I do have some pull with him."

"There." Rarity folded up the parchment and placed it into a mailbox. Suri would be suspicious of anything Rarity sent her, but an invite to an influential party with Fancypants would be too much for a glamor hound like Suri to resist, especially after the state Rarity and Prim left her in.

* * *

In Canterlot's hospital, Fancypants attended Fluer's bedside. He held her hand as the various monitors she was connected to failed to report anything out of the ordinary. On the bright side, Fluer's stomach was no longer swollen. On the flipside of that, she wasn't any closer to feeling any better and now her whole body was covered in orange droplets, like she had been sweating orange-tinted tea.

"We'll get through this." Fancypants assured her, patting her hand. "We will." Fleur gave Fancypants a smile for trying to make her feel better, even though she had trouble believing him.

A doctor stepped into the room. "Fancypants? You have a visitor."

"Send him in."

The doctor bowed and guided the visitor in – Rarity.

"Rarity, dear." Fancypants perked up at her. "What a boon it is to have you here in these dark times."

"Er, yes." Rarity grimaced, holding her hand in front of her. She had come here with her own agenda, to ask Fancypants to set up the party she had invited Suri to. She thought – or hoped – Fluer-de-lis' condition was a minor one, like a bicycle accident or sprained ankle. Seeing Fluer-de-lis bedridden made her realize she was being selfish to expect Fancypants to throw a party just so Rarity could spring a trap when his dear friend was in this state.

Fancypants took his hands off Fluer. "Now, I presume you wouldn't be in Canterlot without a reason. Do you know what happened to Fluer before, or were you just in the neighborhood?"

"Well, to tell the truth, I was hoping you could throw one of your famous parties for a friend of mine." Rarity was lying. Suri was no friend of hers. Rarity glanced at Fluer. "But now I see what a selfish expectation that was."

"So you'll understand if I'm not in a partying mood." Fancypants's tone was dour. "I must attend Fluer."

Rarity nodded. "I think I'll take my leave. Perhaps I'll buy something from the gift shop on my way out."

"Wait ..." Fluer said, raising her hand. "Fancypants … I want you to throw the party."

"What? But you -"

"I'll be fine." Fluer told him. "Nothing's gonna change because you're not here. If the doctors find out anything, they'll call you right away."

"But ..."

"Fancypants, the doctors could discover something today, or something in a few months." Inverting their positions, Fluer grabbed Fancypants' hand. "I don't want you here, wasting away in the hospital while you wait for me to recover … you have your own life to live, and I don't want you to throw away looking after mine."

"I ..."

Rarity put a hand on Fancypants' hand. "She's right, you know."

Fancypants looked to her, then back to Fluer. He adjusted his monocle. "Yes, I suppose she is. Rarity, you and your friend shall have your party."

* * *

Suri accepted Rarity's invitation and came to Canterlot. Rarity had been kind enough to provide a train ticket from Manehatten to Canterlot in the letter. Suri didn't trust Rarity as far she could throw her, but to get in a party with Fancypants, the most influential businessman in Canterlot … well, how could a girl say no?

Going into the town square, Suri looked around for signs of her host.

"Suri!" Rarity exclaimed, startling Suri by sliding into her side vision the way a ghost would pop out of a haunted jewelry box. "So glad you can make it, darling! I was worried you wouldn't come."

Suri was skilled in deceit, lies, and double-talk. She saw right through to the hidden meaning of Rarity's words about being worried.

"Oh, yes." Suri growled. "I might never had come if weren't for the promise of a Fancypants party."

Rarity invaded Suri's personal space by curling her arm around Suri. Suri might have been skilled at manipulation, but Rarity was better. "The party won't be for awhile. Fancypants has to round up the gang, you see."

"I see." Suri pursed her lips, displeased at the news.

"Won't you join me for some lunch while we wait?" Rarity asked.

"I guess."

"Excellent. I know just the place." Rarity steered Suri to an outdoor restaurant down the street. Without wasting any trouble, Rarity ushered Suri into a table and hailed a waiter.

"What would you fine young ladies like?" The waiter asked, taking out a notepad.

"Your best salad should suffice." Rarity said, lying in the chair with a carefree air as though she owned it and everything around it.

"I'll take the same." Suri said, never taking her eye off Rarity. The waiter wrote down their orders and left.

"So, what have you been up to?" Rarity inquired, talking to Suri like she was a long-lost friend instead of a recent enemy.

Suri growled.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry, insensitive question." Rarity flicked her hand.

Suri slammed her fists against the table. "Rarity, why don't you drop the act?"

"Act? Whatever do you mean, darling?"

"I mean, what are you up to? What are you planning? I know you wouldn't be this nice to me unless you were planning something."

Rarity gave Suri a look of pity. "Sometimes people are nice just to be nice."

"No, they're not." Suri insisted. "They always want something to get out of you."

Rarity was saddened. Suri must have bad experiences with people if she couldn't grasp the concept someone was being nice for niceness' sake. Not that Rarity wasn't doing anything to help that notion, with what she had planned.

The waiters returned with their salads for them, laying each plate in front of them. "Is there anything else I could get for you, mademoiselles?"

"Yes." Rarity gestured to Suri. "Can you recommend your deserts to my friend here?"

"Certainly."

"What?" Suri exclaimed as the waiter went over deserts, obvious to Suri's confusion. "I don't want any deserts! I need to watch my figure." Suri tried to tell the waiter to stop, but he didn't seem to be listening. Rarity took the distraction to lean over and sprinkle some black powder into Suri's salad, which blended into the food with no visible difference.

The waiter at last heard Suri's demands for him to stop and left them.

"That was weird." Suri muttered, looking down at her salad. Rarity had already began eating.

Suri remained suspicious of Rarity's motives. Her suspicions only increased when Rarity stood up from her chair and announced the party was ready as soon as they had finished eating. Suri was too focused on the chance to meet with Fancypants to question it, letting Rarity guide her to Fancypants' mansion.

Seeing the actual mansion made Suri feel a little tingly. Whatever Rarity might have planned, the party invitation wasn't a trick. Rarity brought Suri through the gates, where Fancypants and his entourage were waiting.

"Rarity. Right on time, as always." Fancypants observed. "I take it this is your friend?"

"Yes. Her name is Suri Polomare. You two have fun." Rarity pushed Suri towards Fancypants went to the catering table to grab a drink.

"Hello, Suri." Fancypants offered his hand. "I'm-"

"Fancypants, yes." Suri grabbed his hand. "I know who are you." She was so excited, she felt a little bubbly in her stomach.

"Rarity tells me you're a fashion designer?" Fancypants said.

Suri nodded. "Yes! I make all my own custom clothes for clients." From the shadows, Rarity gave Suri a cold, icy stare.

"Ah. Like Rarity herself, I see. Figures you would bump into each other sooner or later."

"Mh-hmm." Suri said. She was about to ready to pour the charm on Fancypants. She'd butter him up and schmooze up to him. She would get him to love her, and in return, he'd give a place to stay and all the money she'd ever need.

Or least she thought so, until the bubbly feeling in her stomach doubled and shot up her throat, causing her to vomit all over Fancypants' clothes. His entourage let out a gasp of shock, appalled Suri would be so daring as to throw up all over him.

Fancypants had more polite worries. "Suri, dear, are you all right? Do you need to lie down? Some antacids, maybe?"

"No, no, sugar." Suri muttered, lurching and clutching her stomach. "I think I'm fine." Suri proved herself incorrect, throwing up on the grass two more times before her stomach quit. Once she was able to direct her own body again, Suri locked eyes on Rarity, who was standing aloof by the table.

"You!" Suri launched at Rarity. "You did this, didn't you?"

Rarity sipped her drink. "Yes, I did. Would you like to hear how? I paid off the waiter to keep talking and ignore you while I slipped some vomit medication in your food. And of course, the food itself was so you would have something for your stomach to throw up with."

"Why?" Suri growled. "Haven't you ruined me enough?"

"No." Rarity hissed. "Not since I learned you abused Coco Pommel in a sexual matter. So I had Fancypants throw a party and slipped you something to make you throw up all over him. The man himself is gracious enough, but his entourage … well, let's just say in a few days time, rumors and exaggerations of you throwing up on the most influential man in Canterlot will be all over the news. And your reputation will be so tarnished, no will work with in you. Not just in Manehatten, but all of Equestria." Rarity continued enjoying her drink.

Suri screamed and tackled Rarity, knocking the cup out of Rarity's hands and its contents all over the table. Suri pinned Rarity to the ground. Rarity was a better fighter than Suri anticipated, striking Suri with her elbow and throwing her off. Rarity got up. Suri staggered and tackled her again. The two of them wrestled back and forth, neither maintaining the advantage for long, until they threw themselves inside Fancypants' mansion.

"Should we do something?" One of Fancypants' entourage asked him.

"Perhaps we should call the Royal Guard to break things up." Fancypants turned around to exit his ground. He was in luck, as a Royal Guard was already coming to him "Eh?"

"Mister Pants," The Guard addressed him. "I'm afraid we have some bad news. Your significant other, Fluer-de-lis, escaped the hospital."

"What? How?"

"We're not sure. Somehow, she slipped through without being seen by anybody."

Fancypants shook his head. "Getting out of crowded places without being seen is something you learn to do as a celebrity. I wonder where she could have gone … and why?"

Inside the mansion, Rarity and Suri's fight continued. Suri threw Rarity against a podium. Rarity launched herself off it and tackled Suri to the ground. Suri rolled over and struck Rarity in the back. Suri forced Rarity onto her stomach, climbed onto her back, and took her time striking Rarity. Rarity reached her hand out and used her magic to pull a flower vase towards them, smashing it over Suri's head. Rarity stood up and kicked Suri while she was down – in the stomach.

"Gah!" Suri growled as she got up. "You'll pay for this, you – country girl!"

"Spoiled brat!"

"Floozy!"

"Oh, I'M the floozy?" Rarity asked, pointing to herself.

"Yes." Suri huffed. "With your white, low-cut dresses that show off your cleavage!"

Rarity laid her hand across said cleavage. "Flaunt it if you got it, sister. And, sister, don't be jealous of me just because you do not "got it.""

Rarity added injury to insult by sidestepping towards Suri and twirling around, hitting Suri in the face with the side of her breasts.

"Rrraaah!" Suri raised her hands and lunged at Rarity, once again knocking Rarity to the ground and grappling with her. "Floozy!"

"You used that insult already."

"Oh. Um … talentless hack!"

"Thief!"

"Silicon-loaded fake!"

"Fraud! And I keep telling you, THEY'RE NATURAL!"

"Liar! There's no way a girl could have a natural bust as fantastic as that."

"Oh, you think they're fantastic? Thank you. Where were we? Two-faced sneak!"

"HOMEWRECKER!"

"_HAG!_"

Their escalation of insults came to an abrupt, screeching halt when they both heard the sound of the door swinging open with force like a wrecking ball had been swung through it.

Rarity and Suri were shocked to see Fluer-de-lis in the doorway. Rarity's eyes shrunk in terror, as she recognized the malady which had stricken Fluer-de-lis.

Standing in the hallway with a hunch, Fluer-de-lis was covered in an orange, goopy, slime substance. It covered her legs and tapered downwards, like a tail on a snake. The same substance was pouring down her arms, turning into long tentacles which touched the floor. Orange liquid seeped from the tentacle's tips, getting the floor messy and soggy. Little extensions flailed from her shoulders, and a mass of slime slithered around her face, covering one side and then the other like a bipolar opera mask that couldn't decide which side it wanted to be on.

"FANCYPANTS!" Fluer bellowed. "I'M _HUUUUUNGRRRRY!_"

Fluer-de-lis eyes drifted downward. She noticed Suri and Rarity tangled up on the floor.

"Oh my." Fluer purred with a sultry tone. She licked her lips with a slime-coated tongue. "Don't you two look … _delicious_."

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Exchanging Barbs"**

**The meaning of the chapter title is reference to barbs, which some animals use to inject poison, and to the phrase "trading verbal barbs" or sometimes "exchanging verbal barbs" which Suri and Rarity do plenty of.**

**So I read this post on the Writer's Group on Fimfiction about "Words To Seek and Destroy In Your Writing" which included the following: really, like, that, and then. All of which I know I use a lot.**

**Now, I had read about some other jerk advocating against "suddenly," and one of my teachers recommend against "very", so I had already worked on cutting those out.**

**But on a similar subject, I have now discovered Stephen King recommends you kill your adverbs. (Words that end in "ly") which is weird, as I could have sworn that J.K Rowling used adverbs (particularly in speech attributions, such as "he said proudly.") So with this chapter, I experimented a little bit to remove any words that ended in "ly" and cut down on "that," "really," and "like," except for when removing those words made a more awkward sentence than not.**

**Let me know what you think about the end result. Is it good, bad, better, worse? Should I write as I have been, or should I work on cutting out any and all adverbs?**

**I got a review saying Applejack was slightly out of character last chapter. Hopefully I fixed that here, or least will be able to before the story ends.**

_**10/22/14 Censorship Edits:**_

_**Removing Rarity's threesome with Rainbow Dash and Coco Pommel. Minor edits here and there as well.**_


	4. Affliction

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 4**

**Affliction**

* * *

Rarity and Suri froze in place, able to do naught but stare at the disgusting, slimy thing Fleur had become standing in the doorway. Fleur was eying them with a malevolent hunger.

"Suri." Rarity whispered. "I know we were just fighting each other … I know you have every reason to hate me … but right now, for both our sakes, I need you to put that aside and trust me."

"T-t-trust you?" Suri stuttered. Her unfamiliarity with Fleur's condition contributed to her being much more frightened than Rarity was.

"Please." Rarity insisted as Fleur began slithering towards them. "Just until we get through this. We can go back to hating each other as soon as we're safe from her."

"As if, mmmkay? You'll understand, doll, if I don't trust someone who just embarrassed me in front of Fancypants' and his entourage!" Suri pushed Rarity off her, throwing her off to the side. Full of confidence, Suri brought herself to her feet, but when she saw Fleur oozing in front of her, she was paralyzed by fear.

"Oooh." Fleur squealed. "Are you volunteering? You look like you're volunteering." Fleur raised her arm-tentacle and lashed it around Suri's waist, lifting her up in the air. "We're going to have so much fun together!" Fleur leaned and licked Suri's cheek to sample her taste.

Suri whimpered and turned her cheek. "N-no! Stop!"

"Oh, but sssweetie!" Fleur hissed. "If you didn't want to do it, you ssshouldn't have volunteered!"

"I DIDN'T VOLUNTEER!"

Fleur ignored Suri's screams and aimed her tendril at Suri's chest.

"Wait."

Fleur and Suri looked to see Rarity standing some distance away. Rarity held her arms out and puffed out her chest.

"Take me instead."

Suri's mind quit working. Just a minute ago, Rarity was sabotaging her reputation with Fancypants and all of Canterlot. Now, Rarity was trying to save her? In what bizarre, otherworldly paradigm of logic did that make any kind of sense?

"Uh, Rarity, doll?" Suri asked. "What are you doing?"

"I have what you want." Rarity said, keeping her eyes on Fleur.

Fleur rubbed her chin, contemplating Rarity's offer. "What do you mean?"

"Inspect her chest." Rarity instructed. Suri chattered her teeth, worried Fleur was going to do something awful. Fleur brought her nose down and sniffed Suri's chest, which was not as bad as Suri was fearing. Fleur slithered over to Rarity and sniffed her chest as well.

"You're laaaactating!" Fleur shouted.

"Yes. That's what you want, isn't it?" Milk was the original's Pipe Slime's goal, desire, and_ modus operandi_. Rarity was sure milk was what this new Pipe Slime wanted as well.

"Oh, you'll be so much more fun than this dry-chested dame over here!" Fleur latched her other tendril around Rarity and dropped Suri to the floor. She lifted Rarity up and licked her lips, eager and ready to partake in Rarity's milk. "Oh, and we can take turnssssss!"

Suri rolled on the floor, looking up at the strange sight unfolding before her. Her jaw hung open in disbelief. Rarity and her had been exchanging insults and boasts about Rarity's oversized bust for the last day and a half … and now that same bust had saved her life. It was all just so surreal.

"What are you doing on the floor!?" Rarity snapped at her. "Get out of here! Get Fancypants! Get the Guards! Get help!"

Suri remained on the floor, transfixed on the sight as Fleur's appendages moved to begin invading Rarity's personal space.

"GO!"

Suri crawled to her feet and dashed out the door.

Fleur licked her lips again, expecting to enjoy her experiences with Rarity. She flared her chest out like a cobra. "Ready to drink?"

"Er, actually, would you do me first?" Rarity asked, hoping to stave off the corruption.

Fluer shook her head no and raised a tentacle, preparing to stuff it into Rarity's throat. Rarity did what came to her by instinct, reaching up her hand to grab Fleur's forehead. She had been infected in the past. She knew how the slimes operated, how they thought, how they obeyed the will of their Mistress, and she had been a Mistress. She still recalled the mental process of Mistress sending commands to her her servants. She began exerting her will from her hand into Fleur's head.

_Obey._ Rarity thought, giving a mental command. Fleur-de-lis continued to bring Rarity's head down.

_Obey._ Rarity repeated. She would not be forced to drink unreasonable amounts of milk the way she did to others all those years ago. She would not relive it.

_OBEY YOUR MISTRESS!_ Rarity screamed her in head, and Fleur-de-lis stopped. Fleur's arms went slack and her body relaxed.

Rarity looked up at Fleur's face, confused as to what just happened. She succeeded in dominating Fleur's mind, was what.

_Good_. Rarity purred, seeing Fleur was tamed. While she had her under control, she was going to try to get as much information as she could. _Now, Fleur-de-lis, who infected you?_

_An orange slime. Fleur answered. Fancypants and I went out into the forest and it got me._

So it was direct from the slime Fleur got her infection. Rarity examined Fleur's enhancements. A tail, two tendrils, covered in leaking slime… and she'd been infected only recently. It took some time for Rarity's own infection to develop all of those traits. _How come you're infection from the Pipe Slime progressed so far? I was infected for longer than you were, and it took me weeks to develop a tail!_

_Not a … not a Pipe Slime_. Fleur stammered.

_What?_

_Citrus Slime. It was a Citrus Slime who infected me._

Ah! That explained so much. Different kind of slime, different kind of infection. _What does a Citrus Slime do?_

_Feed you orange juice, mostly._ Fleur answered. Rarity felt her tendrils sift around her body again. Fleur was beginning to break free of Rarity's psychic influence. "But enough thinking about feeding, it's time to DO IT!" Fluer raised her tendril again, readying to stuff it into her.

Rarity was determined she was going to fight her way out of this before Fleur's white poisons took a complete corrupting hold on her mind. Her hand was aglow with magic as she brought it up and blasted Fleur in the chest. Rarity was thankful to whatever Princess-deity was watching over her at that moment, as the spell proved strong enough to not only separate Fleur from her, but throw her across the floor.

"Oh!" Fleur exclaimed, pulling herself off the floor. "That was rude! If you didn't like the taste, you should have just said so!"

Fleur's focus was right back to the milk again, Rarity noted. Of course it was. Everything was about milk with the slimes. Rarity started crawling up the stairs, clutching at her stomach. She knew about the effect of slime-infected milk, where the milk made itself feel much denser than it actually was, like something metal and dense was inside the victim's stomach. Up until now, Rarity had always been on the giving, rather than receiving end of it. It was most unpleasant. She felt as though she had swallowed a wrecking ball.

Rarity had tried to escape before the worst damage was done, but the milk was already trying to tempt her. Rarity heard two voices in her head. One was being reasonable, yelling _get away get away get away._ The other being affected by the milk, shouting at her _what are you doing? You get back there and let that sexy lady pump you with delicious milk until you're too bloated to walk!_

"Get back here!" Fleur shouted, slithering up the stairs after Rarity. Rarity couldn't even stand without gripping the guardrail of the stairs for support, but she managed to turn around and blast Fleur a second time, keeping her down near the bottom of the stairs. While Fleur struggled to right herself, Rarity made her way up the second floor. Which was as far as she made it before Fleur-de-lis extended her tendril, lassoing it around Rarity's waist and using Rarity as a post to hook-shot herself up the stairs.

"Rarity, dear, you really must learn how to appreciates someone's generosity." Fleur said, which Rarity found mocking. "When someone generously offers you their nutritious drink, the polite thing to do is accept it!" Fleur shoved her tendril Rarity's stuff, spewing the noxious sludge inside.

Where was Suri? She should have been back with help by now. Figures she would just run and off and do her own thing as soon as she was safe. Rarity wondered why she had done this for her. Just after she had been humiliating Suri in front of several influential people. Rarity could have left Suri to be ravaged by Fleur and had every reason to. Why didn't she?

Compassion, she supposed. She had experience with the slime. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she let something so horrible happen to Suri. It was perhaps like the difference between placing something unpleasant like a thumb tack or fake vomit under someone's chair as a prank versus taking a knife and stabbing them to death.

* * *

Suri was running down the street. When she exited the doors of the mansion, she had found Fancypants' party deserted. She figured her best bet would be to head straight for the training base of the Royal Guards, but as she sped down the sidewalk, she found Fancypants and his entourage, flanked by two Guards.

"Fancypants!"

"Suri!" Fancypants exclaimed as Suri rushed towards them. "What are you doing here?"

"What are … you … doing here?" Suri demanded amidst her pants for breath.

"We're looking for my dear friend, Fleur-de-lis. The Guards came and told me she escaped the hospital, so we ended the party to search for her."

"Well, you should have stayed!" Suri snapped. "She's back at the mansion! She's got Rarity!"

"What!? How did we not notice?"

"Perhaps she sneaked into the mansion after we left." suggested one of the Guards.

"Yes, that must be it. Come, gentlemen! We must rescue fair Rarity!"

* * *

Her internal monologue finished, Rarity turned her thoughts back to escape. She grunted and wriggled her arms free, grabbing the tendril and attempting to stop its flow, like an obstruction placed on a garden hose.

"We're not done yet!" Fleur screamed, increasing the pressure of her tendril to pour more stuff into Rarity. Rarity couldn't stop it this time, as the poison from earlier was weighing her body down and wearing her spirit out. She did nothing as it poured into her … until it made her want more of it. Then she suckled with all the strength she could muster. The more she had, the more she wanted. The more she wanted, the more she needed. She could feel herself slipping away into the addiction …

Until magical spells blasted the door open and a squad of Royal Guards came marching in, yelling orders and hurling spells at Fleur-de-lis. One Guard wasn't paying enough attention to his aim and his spell hit the stairs, causing them to collapse, sending Fleur-de-lis and Rarity down to the floor with a pile of rubble. One Guard was fast enough to correct his colleague's mistake and used a levitation spell on Rarity to keep her afloat. Fleur was not given any such consideration and was allowed to be buried under a pile of crumbled stairs. It didn't matter, though, as Fleur burst from the rubble and slithered out the door, moving too fast for the Guards to hit her. Some of them split off to pursue Fleur, the rest remained to make sure Rarity was okay.

"Are you all right, miss?" A Guard asked as Fancypants and Suri rushed into view.

"Y-yes, darling, I'm fine." Rarity stuttered, her legs wobbly and shaking. She lost her balance and would have fallen on the floor if Fancypants didn't go up behind her and catch her in his arms. "At least, I will be ..." Rarity looked up at Suri. "Funny. I was beginning to think you weren't going to come back."

"Ah, well ..." Suri crossed her arms and turned away. "You kept me from being eaten or whatever by that … thing. I guessed that was worth something." Suri pointed her arms. "But don't think these means things have changed between us, doll."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Rarity boasted. She looked at the collapsed stairs. "I'm sorry about your stairs, Fancypants."

"No worries!" Fancypants said. "After all, stairs are replaceable. You aren't." Rarity giggled.

The Guards who left to pursue Fleur returned to the building. "Sir, we lost her. We tracked her to the edge of the city before she gave us the slip."

Their commander stomped his foot. "Darn! Put out some posters. I want the masses to be informed and for anyone with information to come forward." The Guards nodded and left.

The commander turned towards Rarity, Fancypants, and Suri. "Will you all be all right?" Rarity nodded. "Good. Have a nice day. We'll pay for the damages, Mister Pants." he left the building.

Suri left as well, but before she did, she gave Rarity a glare, making sure Rarity got the message their feud was still on.

* * *

Ponyville was entering nightfall, so Fluttershy decided to go to bed extra-early. She was eager and hopeful to have more dreams about her private fantasies. She was relieved it was all in her head. Applejack and Twilight would be so disapproving if they found out.

As things stood in her dreamland, Fluttershy was on her bed under her forest-hued sheets. She was sitting upright on the bed while Applejack and Big Macintosh sat next to her with drinking glasses. Sunlight was pouring in from the window onto them, keeping the bed warm and toasty. Per Fluttershy's love of nature, a bird was chirping in the trees nearby.

Fluttershy sighed. "Oh, my, yes … such good boys and girls … don't you just love the taste?"

"Why, I'm sure they do." A suave voice answered.

"Mm, yes ..." Fluttershy mumbled, her eyes closed. Realizing it wasn't Big Macintosh's deep voice speaking, Fluttershy opened her eyes to see Discord floating above the bed.

"My, my. What would Applejack think if she saw you thinking about her doing something like this?" Discord asked.

"Discord!" Fluttershy squeaked, tossing dream-Applejack and dream-Big Macintosh off the bed to the floor as she rose to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, nothing much." Discord said. He made a hammock appear and floated underneath his body to accommodate him.

"How did you get here, anyways? I thought dreams were Princess Luna's domain." Fluttershy mumbled.

"Oh, Fluttershy. You don't really think I'm bound by such trivial rules, do you?" Discord gave a literal example of his metaphor by making a giant scroll marked "TRIVIA" appear, then squeezing it in his hand. It flew out of his hands like a butterfly and went through the window. "But anyways, the real reason I'm in here because Applejack is trying to round up the gang. She's awfully worked up about something." Discord made a pun by creating a cubicle office around him, dressing up in glasses, a white shirt and a tie.

"Oh, okay." Fluttershy adjusted herself and threw her legs over the bed. She reached to grab a shirt before remembering she was still in her dream, so any shirt she put on would amount to nothing. "Um, Discord? Before I wake up, will you promise you won't tell Applejack about this?"

"Well, what kind of friend would I be if I withheld the truth?" Discord's facetiousness was so thick, it was just about solid matter. He saw Fluttershy looking up at her with her big eyes, pleading with him in silence. "Oh, all right. I promise. Wake up now, why don't you?" Discord snapped his fingers and Fluttershy opened her eyes wide in her real bed. Discord was nowhere to be found.

Fluttershy grabbed her chest to be sure she was presentable. Feeling the presence of her nightgown, Fluttershy stepped outside. Applejack and Twilight were marching up to her house.

"There she is, already waiting for us." Applejack expressed with admiration. Applejack patted Fluttershy's back. "Now there's a girl who knows when she's needed."

"Um, actually, Discord told me." Fluttershy mumbled. "What's going on?"

"Applejack is convinced Rarity's breastfeeding Rainbow Dash again." Twilight explained. "She won't give it a rest, so we figured you, since you're close to Rarity, would be our best to shutting her up so we can all enjoy some peace and quiet again." Twilight put her hands on her head and rolled her eyes.

Applejack glared at Twilight, unappreciative of her words.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What I meant to say was that since Rarity's bedroom is on the second floor, Applejack thinks you would be the best bet for spying on her and seeing if she's nursing, since you can fly and are so skilled at being quiet."

"Um, you can fly too, Twilight." Fluttershy muttered. "Why can't you do it?"

"I can fly, but I'm more likely to give myself away by tripping or something. You're way lighter on your feet than I am. Plus, Rarity will probably be more forgiving if she catches you than if it was me." Twilight smiled and offered her hand. "What do you say, Fluttershy? Will you do it?"

"Gee, I don't know … I mean, what's so wrong about nursing, really?" Fluttershy shrugged, attempting to defend her point with a nervous chuckle and smile.

"Fluttershy, do y'all not remember what happened the last time?" Applejack asked. "How she went crazy? How she infected us and the whole darn town? Why, if she wasn't our friend, Ah would have … Ah don't know what Ah would have done to her, but it wouldn't be pleasant!" As Applejack talked, her rage increased by increments until she was swinging her fists around and swearing like a sailor. The sight frightened Fluttershy.

"What do you say, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked, ducking Applejack's flying-blind fists.

"I still don't know … it seems wrong to invade Rarity's privacy."

"Well, if she is nursing, we need to know to put a stop to it. If Rarity's not nursing, than we can get Applejack to drop it, and we can all get on with our lives. Please, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy sighed. She really didn't want to. She really, really did not want to. But Applejack was angry and Twilight's reasoning was fair, at least to Fluttershy.

"Okay." Fluttershy took Twilight's hand. "I'll do it."

"Yes!" Twilight pumped her fist. "I knew we could count on you! Come on. The sooner we can put this mess behind us, the better."

* * *

Inside Rarity's boutique, Rainbow Dash perked up at the squeak of the door hinges.

"Rarity!" Rainbow Dash headed straight for the door and brought Rarity into a hug. "What took you so long? I've been missing you ..." Rainbow Dash brought Rarity's face up and put a hand on Rarity's cheek. Rainbow Dash noticed Rarity's downcast expression. "Oh. It's been one of those days, hasn't it?"

Rarity closed her eyes. "Yes, Rainbow Dash. It has been."

"Do you wanna … feed like we usual do," Rainbow Dash showed a surprising amount of sensitivity by next asking the question, "or just head straight to bed?"

Rarity wasn't sure what to answer Rainbow Dash with. A large part of the misery she had today was from nursing. Although on one hand, nursing with Rainbow Dash (and maybe Coco Pommel) could be a nice reminder after Fleur-de-lis that not all nursing was bad. On the other hand, it might just send her into a post-traumatic state, reliving the horrid moment for a second time.

"Yes." Rarity answered, deciding it was worth the risk. She directed Rainbow Dash to the foyer. "Get Coco Pommel and meet me upstairs. I'll go change into something more suitable for the occasion."

"Yes, ma'am!" Rainbow Dash hurried off.

Rarity went the stairs and to her room. Approaching the bed, she undid the clasps on her dress and dropped it onto the bed. Digging through her cabinet, she got out her white-with-pink fuzz bathrobe, which she put slid on.

The door opened. Rainbow Dash came in, guiding Coco Pommel with her hand. Seeing the two of them, so excited, so eager, so obedient for her brought Rarity's spirits back up and she smiled at them with a seductive grin.

"Hello, darlings." Rarity purred, dropping onto the bed. "I hope you're both thirsty." Rarity puffed her chest out, showing off her assets as the bathrobe strained to contain them.

"Oh, yes." Rainbow replied. "Very thirsty." She licked her lips.

"Parched." Coco Pommel added.

Rarity reached into the drawers and got out the powder and the spoon. Before getting to the main event, Rarity teased her servants by trailing the spoon along the length of her bust. After hearing Rainbow Dash whine about the teasing, Rarity scooped a spoonful of the powder and took it.

"Here you go, darlings." Rarity tugged on the bathrobe and pulled it open. She flopped onto the bed. "Drink." Rainbow Dash and Coco Pommel flopped onto the bed with her, preparing for their task with glee, but their nighttime activities were interrupted by the sound of someone slipping and hitting their head.

"What?" Rarity pulled her neck up and looked to window. There was a little tuft of pink hair just at the base of the window, making a pained groan.

"Huh?" Coco Pommel asked, observing the same tuft.

"Rainbow Dash." Rarity snapped. To Coco Pommel, Rarity sounded like the villain of a film telling his minions to unleash the dangerous science experiment upon the hero.

"I'm on it." Rainbow Dash took off like a rocket. The tuft of her hair squeaked and flew off into the night. Rainbow Dash shoved the window of the way and chased after.

"Rarity, what's going on?" Coco Pommel asked.

"I have no idea, darling." Rarity said, tying up the bathrobe around her chest. "Though you may want to make yourself decent."

A few minutes later, the front door opened. Coco Pommel could hear some whimpering and struggling from downstairs, which steadily drew closer until Rainbow Dash burst into the room, holding Fluttershy's arms behind her back.

"Get in there." Dash showed none of her usual concern for Fluttershy's frail state, tossing Fluttershy and making her stumble. Dash locked the door behind her and placed herself behind Fluttershy, ready to strike her a moment's notice if Rarity were to give the command to do so.

"Now, Fluttershy …" Rarity got off the bed. "You know I value our friendship, so … I will give you one chance to provide a sufficient explanation of why you were spying on us through the window!"

"Oh, I, um ..." Fluttershy mumbled, twiddling her fingers.

"Out with it, Fluttershy! Normally, I would be more mindful of your frightful nature, but I'm afraid this is one matter on which I will not budge." Rarity bared her teeth at Fluttershy, scaring her. Fluttershy felt like she was a poor young woman in a 1950's mob house. The only thing missing was Rainbow Dash wearing a fedora and pressing a gun to her neck.

"The others made me do it!" Fluttershy blurted out. "I didn't want to, because I respect your privacy and it's all right with me if you're nusring Rainbow Dash, but Applejack was so angry and Twilight was so reasonable I couldn't say no to either of them!" Fluttershy took in a deep breath.

Rarity raised her finger, ready to give Fluttershy a earful. She stopped and her eyes widened. "Wait, go back."

"Um, Applejack was so angry?"

"No, no, before that. A few sentences back. What did you say? _What did you say?_"

"Um, it's all right with me if you're nursing Rainbow Dash?"

Rarity crossed her arms. "Did you hear that, Rainbow Dash? It's all right with her if we're nursing! Ah hahaha!" Rarity burst out laughing. "It's all right with her if we're nursing!"

"Ah ha ha ha?" Fluttershy faked a laugh. She looked over her shoulder at Rainbow Dash and was glad to see Rainbow Dash was just as confused as she was.

Rarity quit laughing and grabbed Fluttershy by the front of her dress. "Out with it now, really. I have trouble believing someone who so willingly conspired with Applejack against me could approve of my nursing habits!"

"Oh, but I do approve!" Fluttershy insisted. "It's just, um, I also didn't approve of Applejack swinging her fists around and yelling at the air, either ..."

"Why should I believe you?" Rarity growled, and Fluttershy could sense this was a touchy topic for her. "Why would believe anyone other than Rainbow Dash or I could truly understand what it's like? What's it like to have this constant need, both burning and wet at the same time? That anyone other than Rainbow Dash could wrap their head around why -"

"It feels so good to have liquid pouring out of you?" Fluttershy questioned, surprising Rarity.

"Y-yes. How did you know?"

"What it's like to have someone so devoted, so loyal to you, they don't think anything of drinking whatever comes out of your chest?" Fluttershy asked. "What's it like to feel like a plugged-up sink in desperate need of release? I dream about it, Rarity. I really do. I dream about having someone like Rainbow Dash, there for me, to drink me whenever I need it … to have someone willing to take up and swallow whatever comes out of me ..." Fluttershy gave Rarity a pitiful look. "I won't lie, I'm a little jealous of you and Rainbow Dash. You get to enjoy it whenever, but … If I want to enjoy it, I have to be asleep and dreaming."

Rarity let go of Fluttershy and stepped backwards, hand over her chest. "Fluttershy, I … I'm touched." Rarity wiped a tear from her eye. She sat down on the edge of the bed. "I never imagined I'd meet someone who understood what it was like so … fully and intimately. That rising pressure ..."

"That bubbling need." Fluttershy chimed in.

"That satisfaction of being so full ..."

"The knowledge you have someone to turn to." Fluttershy added. Rarity turned away, resting her cheek on her palm. "Rarity … I won't tell the others if you don't want me to."

"Would you?" Rarity asked. "That would be ever so kind of you … but would you really?"

"Yes." Fluttershy nodded. "I promise."

Rarity smiled, overjoyed and overwhelmed she found a kindred spirit – a like-minded soul. Rarity got up and pulled out a parchment from the drawer.

"Here." Rarity presented the scroll towards Fluttershy. "As a show of good faith. I'll need it back after you've had time to transcribe it. It won't give you someone like Rainbow Dash, but this recipe will give you a powder that makes you lactate."

Fluttershy gasped. "Really?" Fluttershy took the parchment and gave Rarity a fierce hug. "Oh, thank you, Rarity! You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"Oh." Rarity muttered, patting Fluttershy's back. "I think, given our conversation, I have some clue."

Rainbow Dash tapped her chin. "We're not going to invite Fluttershy to join us like we did with Coco Pommel, are we?"

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Rainbow Dash. I only have so much milk to go around." Rarity grabbed Fluttershy's shoulders. "However, Rainbow Dash has a point. We were in the middle of something private before you interrupted us, so if you would be so kind as to leave us to our devices ..."

Fluttershy nodded. Rarity let Fluttershy out of her grip, allowing Fluttershy to run out the room and down the stairs, giddily holding the parchment to her chest.

Fluttershy left Rarity's house with a spring in her step. She was more than a little disappointed when she saw Applejack and Twilight waiting right outside Rarity's door. Did they not trust her? Or worse, perhaps they didn't trust Rarity around her.

"Well?" Applejack asked. "Wut'd ya see?"

Fluttershy was silent for a lengthy period.

"I didn't see Rarity and Rainbow Dash do anything they weren't supposed to." And as far as Fluttershy was concerned, she was speaking the absolute truth.

"Yeah, all right then ..." Applejack still did not seem convinced.

"Fluttershy?" Twilight pointed at Fluttershy's chest. "What's that paper?"

"Oh, um, nothing. Just a recipe Rarity loaned me. " Fluttershy hid the paper behind her back before Twilight got too curious about it. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go back to my cottage."

* * *

The next morning, business tycoon Filthy Rich and his brat of a daughter (not that he knew it) Diamond Tiara.

"Daaaad!" Diamond Tiara whined, holding her father's hand like she was eight instead of eighteen. "Do we have to go the train station? It's so stuffy and boring. And it smells like coal!"

"Now, now, Diamond Tiara." Filthy Rich told her. "Your father has received an invitation to meet someone here today, and I am a respectable businessman. A respectable businessman never turns down an invitation." A train pulled out, a hiss emitting as its wheels churned to a stop. "Why, I bet that's our mystery guest's train right now."

The train's doors opened, multiple people coming and going as suited their business. Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara shared the same reaction of shock when they saw the same person; Suri Polomare. Diamond was so surprised she let go out of her father's hand.

"Suri?" Filthy Rich stammered.

"Filthy!" Suri exclaimed with open arms, strolling up to Filthy and cupping his chin. "Oh, it's been so long!"

"I ..." Filthy stammered as though he was being visited by a celestial being. With a pause, he put his hand on Suri's chin. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Oh, I thought that too! But we're together now, and nothing can change that."

"I … Diamond Tiara?" Filthy Rich noticed his daughter running off the train platform. "Diamond, where are you going?"

"Err ..." Diamond Tiara stuttered. "I just remembered, I have a meeting with a friend!"

"Hmm." Filthy Rich huffed. "That's strange. Usually, she invites her friends to our house instead of coming to them."

Suri turned Filthy's head back to her. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about her. I'm sure she's going to be just fine."

Diamond Tiara ran and ran. The sight of Suri filled her with nausea. Her stomach was doing backflips while her esophagus was doing painful yoga. She kept running until she flipped and fell into a puddle of mud.

"Who just LEAVES a puddle of mud LYING AROUND!?" Diamond Tiara exclaimed, slapping her hands in the mud as if she wished to punish its insolence for daring to touch her. Diamond Tiara winced and held her hands up in a defensive position, seeing Scootaloo drive straight towards her on her scooter. To Diamond's relief, though, Scootaloo banked a hard right and managed to screech to a halt just before the mud puddle.

"Diamond Tiara?" Scootaloo asked. "What are you doing in the mud? I thought a prissy stuck-up girl like you would hate being in the mud."

"I DO hate being in the mud! Ugh." Diamond Tiara flicked her hand, attempting to get the mud off her.

Scootaloo scratched the back of her head. Diamond Tiara was a bitter rival and awful bully to her and her friends, but the polite thing to do would be to help her up. Would Rainbow Dash approve? Wouldn't Rainbow Dash encourage paying no heed to those who had bullied and just leaving Diamond Tiara stuck in the mud? No, no. Rainbow Dash had been more mellow as of late. She'd probably tell Scootaloo to be the bigger woman and help her out.

"Hey …" Despite her best judgment, Scootaloo dismounted her scooter and offered Diamond Tiara's her hand. "Need a hand?"

Diamond Tiara looked up at Scootaloo's hand. Her expression was one of somebody who had just seen an alien. Nobody had ever Diamond Tiara a hand to help her up after she had fallen down before. "Yes?" Diamond reached for Scootaloo's hand, but withdrew it, as if expecting Scootaloo's hand to burst on fire the moment she touched it.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "I don't have all day."

Hesitating a bit more, Diamond Tiara took Scootaloo's hand. Scootaloo grabbed Diamond Tiara's arm with her other hand and grunted as she heaved the mud-covered girl up.

"I-I'm not sure what to say, Scootaloo." Diamond Tiara stuttered.

"Uh, a simple "thank you" might be nice?" Scootaloo suggested.

"All right then." Diamond Tiara grabbed the edge of her skirt and did a curtsy. "Thank you, Scootaloo." Diamond Tiara put her arms under Scootaloo's shoulders. "Do you need some help getting back on your scooter?"

"Um, no?" Scootaloo responded as more of question than an answer, but Diamond Tiara proceeded and helped Scootaloo back onto her scooter. Then she gave a Scootaloo peck on the cheek before running away, giggling.

Scootaloo blinked. She wasn't sure, but it seemed like she helped Diamond Tiara out of mud and the spoiled bully actually showed some appreciation, got escorted onto her own scooter, followed by getting a kiss from Diamond Tiara. "Well, that was weird." Scootaloo peddled on her scooter, going on her way.

Unaware of Sweetie Belle sitting on a bench some distance away. Sweetie Belle was originally sitting there to feed breadcrumbs to the birds. It was something she saw Granny Smith do sometimes, and after a few times, Granny Smith invited her to join her, so Sweetie Belle took up the past time herself. She was not expecting to see Scootaloo. She was certainly not expecting to see Scootaloo receive a kiss from Diamond Tiara, of all people.

* * *

Spike was walking down the street with a grocery list in hand. He intended to get some ingredients to whip something up to sooth Twilight's nerves. She was jumpy lately. Jumpier than usual. He had also noticed her giving Rarity some dirty looks. Having as massive a crush as he did on Rarity, he couldn't stand that, so the treat would be a nice two-birds one-stone deal to calm her down and butter her up to ask about what Rarity did which had irritated her so.

He was surprised when Rarity appeared from nowhere and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was wearing a crisscrossing purple dress rather than her usual white.

"Spikey-wikey!" Rarity cooed, addressing him by his nickname. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"For me?" Spike asked.

"I'm sorry, is there someone else here? You, you silly goose!" Rarity pinched his cheeks and shook head. "I have a surprise back at my house waiting for you."

"Oh, a surprise?" Spike asked. "I don't know … it's not my birthday or anything, and I don't _think_ I did any chores for you recently …"

"Oh, it's not that kind of surprise." Rarity waved her hand. She grabbed his wrists. "Now, come! I can't wait to give it to you."

"Rarity ..." Spike root his feet into the ground. "I was going to get some groceries to do something nice for Twilight."

"So? It can wait!"

"Rarity ..."

"Bear in mind, Spike, this surprise is time-sensitive and a limited time offer. You can do whatever it is for Twilight any time, can't you?"

"Yeah, I guess ..." Spike muttered, looking at his list.

"I see you're still convinced. How about if I … persuaded you?" Rarity put her hands together and made a pout.

Spike still wasn't sure. "Eh ..."

Rarity sighed. "Fine. I see I have to bring out the big guns." Reaching to the strap of her dress, Rarity pulled it down and jiggled her breasts at him.

That was enough to convince Spike. He threw his list to the ground and stood at the ready. "Okay, I'm convinced, let's go!"

"Excellent." Rarity hissed. She grabbed Spike by his shirt and pulled him to Carousel Boutique, the specific name of Rarity's house.

Dragging him inside, Rarity twirled Spike around like a tango before throwing him onto a chair. "Now you just wait right there while I get things ready." Spike grinned and closed his eyes, ready for Rarity to surprise him.

"I can't believe this!" Sweetie Belle shrieked, swinging the door open. "Rarity. Rarity, I need to talk to you!" Sweetie Belle was not expecting to see Spike sitting at a chair. "Spike, what are you doing here?"

Spike brought his finger to his lips. "Ssh. Rarity has a surprise for me."

Sweetie Belle huffed, tossing her hands in the air. "Rarity? Rarity, can I talk to you?"

"Can it wait?" Rarity asked, her voice speaking from the dressing room. "I'm in the middle of a surprise for Spike!"

"I'd prefer if it didn't." Sweetie Belle muttered.

"Sweetie Belle, I'm sure whatever you have to say is very important, but I'm afraid it's going to have to wait."

Sweetie Belle put her hand over her forehead. "Why do I even bother? Could I at least join Spike with your surprise?"

"Eer … I suppose. I wouldn't think you'd want to, but I guess it'd be all right."

Sweetie Belle pulled up a chair and dragged to the room with Spike, sitting next to him and crossing her legs. She was not happy with Rarity putting Spike above her, and she intended to let Rarity know it by expressing her disapproval of … whatever it was Rarity was going to do. What was she going to do?

"Has she told you what the surprise is yet?" Sweetie Belle turned to Spike.

"No. If she told me, it wouldn't be a surprise! Duh!"

"Ready, darlings!"

Sweetie Belle wasn't expecting what she saw Rarity do. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't … this.

Rarity was in a belly dancer outfit. She was wearing a lavender top and pants, with purple cloth tied around her wrists, hanging from her shoulders. Silver shingles were lined across the rim of her pants and shirt, highlighting the size of her bust and curve of her hips.

"Ready for a show, both of you?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, yeah!" Spike cheered, in love with the outfit and how it showed Rarity's skin. Sweetie Belle kept quiet.

Rarity began her dancer, holding her hands over her head and shaking her hips from side to side. She walked around in shimmying circles before adding more maneuvers to the routine, starting with simple shaking her arms about. She went further and further on, adding a jump and kick to it, swinging her hips further and further out, and shimmying with more intensity. The silver decorations lifted up into the air and flopped back down, patting every inch of Rarity's bust. What Spike wouldn't give to be one of those silver thingies, touching her breasts so close now …

As the dance went on, Sweetie Belle's approval of it went up. She nodded her head, smiling as Rarity added more intricate movements.

"All right." Sweetie Belle said, getting up from her chair. "You can forgot about my problem, Rarity. This gives me the perfect idea to deal with it!" Her problem addressed, Sweetie Belle dashed out of the house, leaving Rarity and Spike alone. Just like Rarity wanted.

"Well, now that she's gone, I can do what I really wanted, Spike." Rarity's voice dropped by octaves to unbearably sultry tone.

"Rarity?" Spike asked

Rarity raised one hand over her head and twirled around. She kicked her legs and twirled again to face Spike. Now facing him, Rarity crossed her arms, placing the purple clothes under her breasts. She pulled up on her arms, using the purple veils to pull her breasts up, bouncing them up and down. Spike was hypnotized by the wonderful sight.

Rarity lowered her arms and traced her hands around her breasts, giving them a squeeze. She pulled down on her shirt to let her breasts jiggle more freely. Rarity kept dancing, this time with her breasts spilling out slightly.

Rarity repeated the maneuver, twirling to face Spike before rubbing her hands all over her breasts. She pulled the shirt down further, letting her breasts sway and bounce every direction like they were spring-loaded.

Spike was so enthralled, so aroused, he couldn't bear it anymore. He leaped out of his chair and charged Rarity, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up as he forced a kiss on her. Under normal circumstances, this kind of behavior would be completely unacceptable in polite society.

Spike realized what he was doing was wrong and popped his lips off. "Oh, Rarity, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! It's just … seeing you dance like that, I – It was so exotic, I guess I just lost control of myself ..."

Contrary to Spike's expectations of anything Rarity would have done, Rarity instead giggled.

"It's quite all right, Spike." Rarity said. "I understand." She curled her knuckles against the sides of her breasts. "Why don't you look at them some more?" Rarity squeezed her breasts together, causing them to squish up and out vertically, making them look like one big, sexy, super-breast. "Look deep … deeper … deeper ..."

"Oh, so deep ..." Spike moaned, taken in by her impressive cleavage. "Rarity, I don't know if this is the right time to say this, but I love you!" Spike reinforced his declaration by burying his head between her breasts.

Rarity chuckled again, enjoying the feeling of Spike's head between her cleavage. It felt reassuring to her. It told her she was powerful. It told her she had complete control of Spike and his emotions. "Yes, that's it, Spike ..."

Rarity grabbed Spike's head and lifted up from her cleavage. Locking gazes with him, a jade-green light flashed from Rarity's eyes.

"Love me some more, why don't you?" Rarity suggested, Spike's eyes taking on the same jade light. Made a slave to his lust, "Rarity" had no trouble easing Spike's head back into her breasts …

* * *

Twilight Sparkle decided to visit Fluttershy. She swung by Sugarcube Corner and bought some cupcakes. Twilight figured Fluttershy deserved some reward for spying on Rarity last night as late as she did.

Just as Twilight arrived, the door to Fluttershy's cottage opened. Fluttershy was escorting a couple out from their home, holding a baby in her arms.

"Thank you so much again for doing this." The wife of the couple said to Fluttershy.

"Oh, it's no trouble." Fluttershy told them. "I actually kind of like it, and if I can do a good deed in the process … well, that just sets my heart aflutter."

"Thank you again." The husband said.

"You're very welcome. Come back again in around twenty or thirty minutes." Fluttershy stepped aside to let the couple leave and closed the door.

"Huh?" Twilight headed in front of the couple, cutting them off. "Who are you two and what are you doing at Fluttershy's house?"

"Oh, Princess Twilight!" The wife exclaimed. "You see, we had a baby recently, and … well, we couldn't get any milk going for him."

"Oh, we tried." The husband put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "We tried and tried, but nothing worked."

"We know how important nutrients from breast milk are for baby's healthy development. So when Fluttershy came to us, offering her services, we were tickled pink to take her up on it."

"Confidential and free … at first, it seemed too good to be true, but then Fluttershy showed us her contract papers and a variety of diets to help with particular nutrient deficient. So when she saw how much work she put into it, well, we couldn't help but say yes!"

"Did you say … breast milk?" Twilight asked. "Like, actual, white milk from an actual, round, breast?"

The couple looked at each other.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't know? I figured you'd knew, being her best friend ..."

"Knew what?"

"We've said too much already." The husband steered his wife away, leaving the scene of the crime. Twilight kept her eyes on them and thought about pursuing them, but she figured Fluttershy was a better source of answers. She walked the ramp and knocked on Fluttershy's door.

"Back so soon? It hasn't been more than a minute or two." Fluttershy answered the door. She gasped when she saw Twilight. Twilight gasped when she saw Fluttershy.

Fluttershy was holding the couple's baby up to her chest, with her shirt pulled down and the baby held in such a way he could latch onto Fluttershy's breast.

"Fluttershy? What … what is this? You're lactating? How?"

"Oh, please don't be mad!" Fluttershy squeaked. "It's just … well, our checkup with Silver Lens drudged up some old memories for me, Twilight, and I … I remembered how much I liked being nurse. I wanted to be nursed. I wanted to lactate. So I – I got some medicine and opened an anonymous wet nursing service. That way, I enjoyed being nursed and do something nice for others at the same time." Fluttershy rocked the baby before returning her attention to Twilight. "Please don't tell anyone."

"I ..." Twilight put her hand on her head, not sure how to process this development. "Fluttershy, are you sure this is okay? I mean, most people wouldn't like a stranger nursing their infant! They couldn't control what went into the milk!"

Fluttershy smiled. "Oh, I prepared for that." Fluttershy went back into the house. When she reemerged, she handed Twilight a bundle of paper slips.

Twilight thumbed through the papers. They were all variations on a theme, each of them saying Fluttershy, for the week the baby was "loaned" out to her for nursing, would only eat a certain selection of foods and nothing unhealthy.

"Okay." Twilight returned the papers to Fluttershy, still unable to wrap her head around it. "Seems legit, I guess … Hey. How are you lactating anyway?"

Fluttershy blushed. "I told you, Twilight. I found some medicine."

"Where?" Twilight asked. She pinched forehead and held her finger our. "Wait. No. Don't answer that. It was Rarity, wasn't it? She helped you with this, didn't she?"

Fluttershy rose her head up like a prideful lion. "I'm sworn to confidentiality."

"Good enough for a "yes" to me." With Fluttershy's answer as all the proof she needed, Twilight marched down the ramp to chew Rarity out.

Fluttershy's lips quivered, torn with her desire to avoid conflict with the need to defend her. "Twilight Sparkle!"

Twilight stopped and looked over her shoulder at Fluttershy.

"_Breastfeeding is not a crime!_" Fluttershy shouted before slamming the door. Twilight could hear the baby begin to cry, upset by the thud of the door.

Twilight rolled her eyes and continued on. As she came near to Carousel Boutique, Rarity's base of sinister milky operations, she passed Spike. Spike looked like he had just his first Hearts and Hooves Day with a Special Someone, his eyes full of bliss and his lips in a smile.

"Spike?" Twilight asked. "What's up with you?"

"Oh, it was wonderful!" Spike put his hands over his chest. "Rarity invited to me to her house and then she did a dance for me!"

"What kind of dance?"

"Oh, an amazing one! A belly dance! She was so graceful and sensual … oh, it's still burned into my mind!" Spike swooned.

"What!?" Twilight remembered she still needed to have a talk with Rarity about her activities with Spike during the incident. She had figured, along with Applejack, to wait for a more appropriate time after Rarity's stunt with the train. But this was a bridge too far, and Rarity had to answer for her sins today.

Twilight continued her march towards Rarity's house, much angrier than she had been after Fluttershy's. She found the femme fatale hanging out just outside the door of the Boutique with Rainbow Dash. Each of them had shopping bags on and were about to go inside.

"Rarity!" Twilight shouted. Rarity rolled her eyes. "Don't you roll your eyes at me!" Twilight pointed her finger, pulsating with magic primed to deliver retribution on Rarity. "I know what you did to Spike!"

"Didn't we already talk about this?" Rarity asked Rainbow Dash.

"You know what you did! You did a belly dance for him, you cougar!"

Rarity examined Twilight's glowing finger. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I never did any dance for Spike. And even if I did ..." Showing a huge amount of gall, Rarity put her hand on Twilight's wrist and pulled it down. "I'd have half a mind not to tell you anyways."

"Well, if it wasn't you, than who was it?"

"I don't know, Twilight Sparkle. But I'm not going to stand here and tolerate your baseless accusations." Rarity and Rainbow Dash went inside the house.

"They're not baseless! Spike told me!" Twilight shouted, but there was no response from within the house. She knocked on the door, and, when Rarity didn't open it, she tried to open it herself only to find it was locked. Twilight could use her magic to force the door open, but she also realized Rarity locking the door was her way of saying she was done dealing with "accusations" for the day.

Twilight fumed, stomping away from the house. "Hey, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo." Twilight greeted the two. "Say hi to Rarity for me, will you?"

"Uh, will do!" Sweetie Belle saluted, her mind much too focused on other things to deal with a trivial "Hi" message.

"Sweetie Belle, are you sure Rarity will be okay with this?" Scootaloo asked as Sweetie Belle dragged her inside (she had a spare key). "I mean, I know you've made Rarity upset doing things without her permission before ..."

"It'll be fine!" Sweetie Belle insisted. "Besides, she'll never know."

"Oh, gee, where have I heard that before?" Scootaloo remarked. "Oh right, every other time when you took something from Rarity's without asking! Seriously, Sweetie Belle. We're almost adults. We should be more mature than this by now."

"It's fine!" Sweetie Belle repeated. "And if she does find out, I'll the full blame for everything. Better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. Come on." Sweetie Belle dragged Scootaloo into a storage room. "Your surprise is waiting for you!"

"Uh-huh." Scootaloo crossed her arms, sitting down on a bench. Sweetie Belle disappeared into the darkness, leaving Scootaloo alone.

Scootaloo waved her hand in front of her face, yawning. So far, she wasn't impressed by whatever "surprise" Sweetie Belle had in store for her. At least not until she saw what it was as Sweetie Belle reappeared in front of her, wearing a belly dancer outfit and baring an impressive cleavage, far larger than what she normally sported. Sweetie Belle's dancer outfit was pink and gold instead of lavender and silver, with more decorations than Rarity's.

"Wow, Sweetie Belle." Scootaloo mumbled, her wings rising up. "You look … gorgeous."

Sweetie Belle giggled. "Thank you." It was working! Her scheme to seduce Scootaloo was working! Rarity had given her the perfect idea to seduce Scootaloo with her dance for Spike. Sweetie Belle was not going to lose Scootaloo to _Diamond Tiara_ of all people.

Sweetie Belle proceeded to reproduce the best she had seen Rarity do for Spike as well she could from memory. Twirling, spinning, and kicking her legs out. Scootaloo appeared to be enticed by the performance.

"Wow ..." Scootaloo muttered. Sweetie Belle got butterflies.

"We haven't got to the best part yet!" Sweetie Belle said. Scootaloo couldn't wrap her mind around what the best part could be after Sweetie's seductive dance.

The second effect of Rarity's powder appeared. The shirt of Sweetie's dress turned dark and stained as milk leaked out of her chest. Sweetie Belle let out a moan. There was a satisfying feeling of fullness, of maternity and maturity, from having her breasts so thick and heavy with milk. She had stolen a dose of Rarity's powder for this occasion, to help seduce Scootaloo. She supposed she should feel guilty, but Rarity would never know. It's not like she kept a meticulous measurement of how much powder was in the bowl down to individual grain, right?

"Um ...what's wrong with your shirt?" Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle was filled with glee. She had been waiting for Scootaloo to ask that question. Reveling in her performance, feeling as if she was a tempting demoness, Sweetie Belle inch her shirt down, exposing more of her cleavage.

"Wha!?" Scootaloo was surprised by both Sweetie's audaciousness. Her wings spread out and she jumped out of her seat. "Sweetie Belle, I'm not sure we should be doing this!"

Not until now did Sweetie Belle pause to think of a potential flaw in her plan. What if Scootaloo didn't like the idea of her lactating? What if Scootaloo thought it was strange, unnatural, or gross? Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and bit her lip, preparing for her criminal sentence.

Scootaloo tilted her head, admiring Sweetie's chest. Her surprise was replaced by a strange curiosity. Scootaloo cleared her throat. "Could I … touch them?" She pointed to Sweetie's chest.

Sweetie Belle sighed in relief. Her plan had almost gone sideways, but now it was back on the right track. "Of course! Touch them all you want. And ... maybe more than that, if you like." Sweetie Belle wiggled her eyebrows.

Scootaloo approached Sweetie Belle with caution, acting like she thought Sweetie Belle was an animal which would lash out if not properly handled. Scootaloo pressed the tips of her finger into Sweetie's breast, pushing down the flesh. Overtaken with the prospect of enjoying something so wonderfully squishy, Scootaloo's hesitance eroded and she followed Sweetie Belle's instructions for the next few minutes. Her sensual, carnal instructions.

After finishing the intimate dance, Sweetie Belle having moaned her little heart out, she rested against the wall. "Oh my goodness, Scootaloo! That felt amazing! No wonder Rarity enjoys doing it with Rainbow Dash!"

Scootaloo backed away. "Rarity does this with Rainbow Dash? Oh man, Sweetie Belle, we are DEFINITELY going to get into trouble for this!"

"Shh! We can worry about that later." Sweetie Belle peeked out the door, making sure the coast was clear. Dragging Scootaloo out by the wrist, Sweetie Belle dashed into the kitchen.

Rainbow Dash was at the table, writing something down on the table.

Scooaloo whimpered, fearing what Dash would do if she noticed them.

"Act natural." Sweetie Belle whispered. "Hey, Rainbow Dash! What are you doing?"

"Signing a check for my bills." Rainbow Dash said, not looking up at them. "I'm a little behind, since I've been planning on … moving in." She mumbled the last part, so as to not blindside Sweetie Belle with the revelation.

"Yeah, okay, that's nice. See ya around!" Sweetie Belle attempted to get to the other door and outside before Dash saw them. She was too late, as her fast-talking goodbye made Dash look up.

"Uh, Sweetie Belle? Why are you dressed like a belly dancer and dragging Scootaloo by the wrist?"

Sweetie Belle did her best to hoodwink Dash. "Uh, we were playing a game."

"Must be some game if you're dressing up like that." Rainbow Dash muttered, going back to her check.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo thought they were in the clear. They moved to exit the door before anything else happened. They would be fine. Sweetie Belle would return the outfit to the costume shop, get Scootaloo to swear to secrecy, and Scootaloo would enjoy the rest of her day.

A high-pitched angry scream came from up the stairs, causing everyone to halt.

"Rarity?" Rainbow Dash pushed her chair back. She got up and went to the stairs, but Rarity was coming down, precluding the need for Rainbow to go up. "What's wrong?"

"_Someone has been in my powder!_" Rarity shrieked.

"What?" Rainbow Dash went to comfort Rarity, wrapping her arms around Rarity's shoulders and rubbing her as she would a stuff animal. "Who would want to do that?"

"I don't know." Rarity said, burying her face into Rainbow's shoulder.

"It would have to be someone who knew what it did ..."

Rarity's eyes shrunk the way vipers and cats do when their about to rear up and attack. She raised her head up and shouted. "COCO POMMEL!"

Within minutes, their recent guest/new maid Coco Pommel was in front of them. Despite being summoned by an enraged scream, Coco did a polite curtsy. "Yes, Lady Rarity?"

"Do you get into my powder?" Rarity asked.

"Oh goodness, no! I would never." Coco crossed her hands over her heart. "I know how much it means to you and Rainbow Dash."

"If it wasn't you, then who?" Rarity demanded. Rainbow Dash and Coco Pommel could feel her anger trickling from her into the air of the room, and someone was quite liable to have their head bit off if Rarity wasn't given a target to lash out at and soon.

"Fluttershy?" Coco suggested.

"Yes!" Rarity bared her hands like claws and hissed, focusing more on venting her fury than thinking things through. "It was clearly her! That little pink minx – wait, no. She has a copy of the recipe. She can make her own powder. Why would she steal mine?"

"What's this powder?" Scootaloo asked. "And why's it so important?"

The adults of the room all looked to Scootaloo with varying degrees of embarrassment. None of them were going to be the ones to explain it to Scootaloo.

"All you need to know about it, Scootaloo, is that it's something valuable and important to Rarity." Coco Pommel said, handling the situation like a skilled parent. "And if you know anything about it, we would appreciate you coming forward."

Sweetie Belle grabbed Scootaloo's hand, made uneasy by the fact Rainbow Dash was staring at her with a finger on her chin. "Oh, well, we don't know anything about it. Sorry we couldn't help, looks like you have things under control, bye!"

"Rarity," Rainbow asked, "what's Sweetie Belle's bust measurement?"

Rarity looked to Dash, bewildered. "Sweetie Belle's bust – Rainbow Dash, can't you see we are in the midst of an ACTUAL CRISIS HERE – what's that?" Rainbow leaned in and whispered something into Rarity's ear.

Sweetie Belle went for the door, but she heard something behind which confirmed this would be the end of her.

"Sweetie Belle." Rarity said in one of those quiet tones which hid how ready she was to explode. "Would you come here, please?"

Sweetie let go of Scootaloo's hand and went up to Rarity. "Er, yes, sis?"

Rarity nodded her head at Rainbow Dash. Dash left and returned to the room with measuring tape. Rarity used her magic to bring the tape to her hands. She leaned and tossed the tape around Sweetie's back, bringing it to measure Sweetie's bust.

"One … effect … of the powder … is an increase in bust size." Rarity explained, glaring daggers at her sister. "Sweetie Belle, did you get into my powder?"

"Wait." Coco said. "Are we sure she didn't just go through a growth spurt?"

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle said, so thankful to Coco Pommel for providing her with a potential out.

"Hmm." Rarity pursed her lips. To the surprise of everyone in the room, Rarity had the gall to grope her own sister, grabbing Sweetie's chest and squeezing it. She felt a slosh come from the inside of the shirt.

"You ..." Rarity breathed heavily, snarling at her sister.

Earlier, Rainbow Dash and Coco were thinking in a figurative sense when they feared Rarity was going to bite someone's head off. Now, they were concerned Rarity was going to do so to Sweetie Belle in a literal sense.

"Rarity, I … I can explain!"

Rarity drew herself up to full height. "I don't need an explanation. I don't want your explanation. Get out." Rarity turned her back on her sister.

Sweetie Belle was hurt, and lost, and confused. "What?"

"Get out of my house." Rarity repeated, never once turning to Sweetie Belle. She put her hand on her forehead, rubbing her temple. "Go out and have fun with your friends. Go visit Applejack. Go eat yourself into an ice cream coma with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. I don't care. Just get out where I can't see your face."

"Rarity, I was trying to seduce Scootaloo ..."

Rainbow Dash was moved to action. "You were what?"

"Trying … trying to get Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle gestured to Scootaloo in the doorway. Tears appeared in her eyed. "I've been … crushing on her awhile and …I saw Diamond Tiara flirting with her today, so I had do something."

"I'm just gonna … go now." Scootaloo muttered, pointing at the door. No one felt the need to stop her. Her only relevance was in the form of an accessory to Sweetie Belle's crime.

"I don't care, Sweetie Belle. I made that powder for my and Rainbow Dash and anyone else I chose to share with it. And I did not chose to share it with you. You have betrayed my trust, hurt my feelings, and most important, intruded on the privacy of mine and Rainbow Dash's breastfeeding!"

"Ha! See? She admits it!"

After a long period of time in which Rarity refused to turn around and see her sister's face, she was provoked into motion to see Applejack, Twilight, and Inspector Harshwhinny standing in the doorway.

"How did you get in here?" Rarity asked. "I locked the door." Rarity's eyes zoomed on Sweetie Belle, who had a key. "You left the door unlocked!?" Sweetie Belle shirked, answering nothing.

"I'm just gonna go to my room now ..." Sweetie muttered, leaving.

"Sweetie Belle being irresponsible is the least of your worries, ya two-timing varmint!" Applejack said, her grin full of pride and her voice full of cheer.

"Applejack got Harshwhinny and I to come here." Twilight said. "I'm sorry, Rarity, but after I saw Fluttershy nursing … I got suspicious. And we still need to talk about Spike."

"Y'all are gonna go straight to jail, ya hear?" Applejack bragged, walking up to Rarity. "Ah heard ya say It. Twilight heard ya say it. Harshwhinny heard ya say it, and that will be enough to get a conviction on ya!"

"Oh, really?" Rarity responded. "Do you think breastfeeding is a crime, Applejack? Do you think its wrong for me to do something perfectly natural, the way Mother Nature designed for us, even if not in the way she intended?"

"Rarity, we all know what happened the LAST time we found you were breastfeeding Rainbow Dash and how well that turned out. Twilight, Harshwhinny, and Ah will testify against ya, and then you'll get twenty-five to life."

"Do you really think me breastfeeding Rainbow Dash is so horrible? That your words alone are proof?" Rarity asked.

Applejack nodded. "Ah do."

"Mh-hmm." Rarity nodded. "HERE!"

To the shock of all, Rarity grabbed Applejack by the waist and threw her down on the dining table. She used her magic to pin Applejack down and conjured up a glass of milk from thin.

"HERE'S YOUR PROOF!" Rarity shouted, pouring the glass down Applejack's throat at so fast a rate it made Applejack choke. "BREASTFEEDING RAINBOW DASH DOESN'T SEEM SO HORRIBLE NOW, DOES IT, YOU TWO-FACED B-"

Everyone in the room knew someone needed to man up and take action.

However, nobody in the room was expecting that someone would be Rainbow Dash, Rarity's loyal love slave, of all people. Rainbow Dash rushed Rarity from behind, wrapping her arms around Rarity's neck and pulling backwards, prying Rarity off Applejack.

"RARITY, WHAT THE PONY HELL?" Dash demanded. "NOT COOL!"

"You!" Rarity hissed, still clawing to reach Applejack with the intent to injure her. "I'll run a bath full of breast milk and then I'll _make you drown in it! _I will stuff your nostrils and lungs with so much milk you'll be lucky to breath poison gas! I'll … I'll ...I ..." Rarity became unable to vocalize her threats, as Rainbow Dash had realized she wasn't going to stop and began to choke her out. "I ..." Rarity grasped at Rainbow Dash's arms. "Rainbow Dash, my love, let me … go." were Rarity's parting words as she succumbed to the loss of air and went limp in Rainbow's arms.

Rarity now contained, Twilight and Coco Pommel rushed to help Applejack to her feet.

"Are you okay, Applejack?" Twilight asked. Applejack coughed and hacked, spitting milk onto the floor. Twilight patted Applejack's back to help her cough the milk out.

Once her mouth was emptied of the awful beverage, Applejack brought her finger to her throat, never more appreciative for air in her life than she was at this moment. "That was awful … she was trying to make me choke ..." Applejack coughed again. "And Ah'd say it's a fair bet she succeeded."

"I know, Applejack, I know. I saw it." Twilight comforted her. "Rainbow Dash?" Twilight noticed Rainbow carrying Rarity's unconscious body up the stairs. "Where are you taking Rarity?"

"To her room." Dash spat.

"Rainbow Dash, you can't just take Rarity to her room! Didn't you see what she did?"

"See what? Oh, you mean just now, don't you? Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was _wrong_ for a woman like Rarity to defend herself in her own home from uninvited guests who barged in, got in her face, and said they were gonna take her to jail!"

Twilight's jaw dropped.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I'm not gonna say Rarity was in the right to do what she did … but you three definitely weren't."

* * *

Twilight opened the door for Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Silver Lens.

"We came as soon as we heard." Fluttershy said. "Where is she?"

"Thank you so much." Twilight said. "She's right over here. Why did you bring Silver Lens?"

"Oh, um, well, Silver Lens answer to Princess Cadence, and I thought the Princesses getting here would take too long." Fluttershy answered. Twilight led them to the kitchen, where Applejack was sitting in a chair with a blanket around her, staring off into space.

"Oh, Applejack." Fluttershy whined, rushing over and embracing her. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

"Ah'm … Ah'm fine." Applejack said, though no one really believed her.

"Poor Applejack." Pinkie said. "When I find that mean old Rarity, I'm gonna – I'm not sure what, but it's gonna be bad!"

"Y'all don't have to do that, Pinkie ..." Applejack muttered. The words trickling down from her mouth came out empty, like they were falling from the side of a clifftop – a clifftop which did not care about the waterfall pouring from its mouth.

Twilight shook her head. "I'm gonna go upstairs. Maybe Rarity will be awake ..."

Twilight went up to the second floor and knocked on the door to the master bedroom. The doorknob jangled, like it was trying to scare her off. Rainbow Dash opened the door, but only enough for one eye to poke out and see Twilight.

"Oh, it's you." Dash said. "Shouldn't you be running and crying to Shining Armor to come arrest the Big Bad Rarity?"

"Rainbow Dash, I just want to talk." Twilight said. "Is Rarity awake?"

"She's getting there." Rainbow said.

"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity's weak and tired voice said. "Who's there?"

"Nobody." Rainbow Dash said. "Nobody's here."

"Rainbow Dash ..." Twilight whined. "Please try to understand why we're all suspicious. Rarity did an exotic dance for Spike today. You can't tell me I'm not allowed to be upset about that."

"I've been with Rarity all day." Rainbow Dash said. "She never did a dance for Spike."

"Well if it wasn't her, then who was it?"

"I don't know and I don't care. Get out of our house."

"Rainbow Dash, please. I need to talk with Rarity."

"Why? So you can go pressure her into losing her cool again? Maybe take pictures of her defending herself and passing it off as an assault? Barge into her room and then make _her_ the villain?"

"Rainbow Dash!"

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, I'm not going to say it again. Get out of our house!" Rainbow Dash slammed the door in her face.

On the other side of the door, Rainbow Dash sat down on the bed. Rarity took in a deep breath and rose up, rubbing her head.

"Oh." Rarity groaned. "Please tell me I didn't do what I remember doing before passing out."

Rainbow Dash patted Rarity's back, doing her best to comfort Rarity. "You did. I'm sorry."

Rarity groaned. "Poor Applejack … she may have been rude, but she didn't deserve that." Rarity rubbed her shoulders. "Or maybe she did. I'm not sure."

"It'll be okay." Rainbow Dash said, even though she wasn't convinced of it herself.

"It's not fair." Rarity complained. "I thought my friends were past this business. Every time I go out, to the store, to the bar, someone makes a poor "joke" at my expense. "Oh, look, there goes Rarity, the milkmaid of Ponyville." "Hey, don't worry, thirsty people, Rarity's here to help you with her breast milk!" IT'S NOT FAIR!" Rarity buried her head into Rainbow Dash's chest as she cried.

"No. No, it's really not."

Rarity sniffed, trying to suck up her tears. "When we left Twilight alone at Shining Armor's altar with the Changeling Queen, she forgave us. When Discord brainwashed us and turned us all against each other, we forgive each other. Pony Hell, we forgave DISCORD HIMSELF! Why can't I be given that same courtesy? Why is it that, because my brainwashing involved a sexual component, I have to put up with mockery and distrust?"

"I don't know." Rainbow Dash stroked her fingers through Rarity's hair. "I don't know." There was a knock on the door. "Dang it, Twilight, I told you to GET OUT!"

"It's Applejack."

"Applejack, huh?" Rainbow Dash said.

"I want to talk. That's all. I just want to talk."

"Talk, huh?"

"Let her in." Rarity said, separating from Rainbow Dash. "I want to talk, too ..." Rainbow Dash was confused why Rarity would be willing to talk to Applejack, but she got up and opened the door.

Applejack stepped into the room, holding her arms around her shoulder.

"Leave us." Rarity instructed Rainbow Dash.

"Are you sure? Okay then ..." Rainbow Dash eased her way out of the room, shutting the down one inch at a time.

"Rarity, Ah -"

"You never really forgave me, did you?" Rarity cut Applejack off. "All those years ago, when we first finished dealing with the Pipe Slime … you've been harboring a grudge all this time, haven't you?"

Applejack swallowed a lump in her throat. "Yes. Yes, Ah have. And it's high-time Ah admit that. Truth be told … that's why Ah wanted to come see ya." Applejack took a seat on the bed, facing away from Rarity. "Ah never really got over it. When Sweetie Belle brought me the bottle, all my old feelings of resentment came back up, Ah guess. Ah started trying to get ya – to catch ya and get you arrested and sent off to jail. Like that would heal me. Like that would fix me."

"Mm-hmm." Rarity nodded.

"That wasn't right." Applejack said. "Sending you to jail would hurt y'all a lot, but it wasn't going to heal me. Ah realize that now. Ah shouldn't have did the things Ah did and said the things Ah said. So, Ah guess what Ah'm trying to get at here, Rarity, is … Ah'm sorry."

Rarity was silent for a few minutes, Applejack too ashamed of herself to look at her. When Rarity spoke, it was not anything Applejack was expecting to hear.

"I'm sorry."

"Uh." Applejack blinked. "Ah know what Ah'm apologizin' for. What in the hay are y'all apologizin' for?"

"Assaulting you." Rarity said. "In the kitchen." She brought her hand to her chest.

"No, no. Y'all were well in your rights to do that."

"Maybe." Rarity said. "But I wouldn't have, if it wasn't for … Applejack, you have no idea what I've been going through. People on the street … they say things. They whisper things to each other, things about me, thinking I can't hear them. But I can and it hurts. It hurts so much. And the only things I have that keep me going are Rainbow Dash and my friends didn't think that about me. And recently, between you and Twilight, that's stopped being the case. So when I found out Sweetie Belle had gotten into my powder, followed up by you barging in … I couldn't take it anymore. I lost it and I snapped, and I took my anger out on you. So for that, I'm sorry."

"Rarity … Ah don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything."

Without needing to be prompted, Applejack turned around so she and Rarity were facing each other. They crawled across the bed and jumped into the others' arms, resting their heads on the others' shoulder. They both began crying, crying tears soft and sweet and silent.

There was another knock on the door. Neither Rarity or Applejack answered it, too focused on sharing their tears with each other.

The person waiting outside knocked again.

"Come in." Rarity told them, defeated at last. Silver Lens opened the door, inching herself in.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Yes, but that's hardly the first thing that's gone wrong for me today." Rarity gestured for Silver Lens to come closer. "Come on then, out with it. What do you want?"

"To ask you a few questions." Silver Lens said. "A sort of mini psych evaluation, if you will."

"Why would I need a psych evaluation?"

Silver Lens held up her clipboard. "Well, according to your friends, you said to Applejack she would be "lucky to breath poison gas" so you can understand why there might be some … concerns."

"I see."

"Would you be comfortable if I ask Applejack to leave?" Silver Lens asked.

"No." Rarity crossed her arms. "This is my room and I will decide who stays and leaves. Ask your questions."

Silver Lens nodded. "I'll make this brief. Have you ever been diagnosed with mental illness or have any history in your family?"

"No."

"Are you prone to violent outbursts like the one observed on the dining table?"

"No."

"What was your reasoning for attacking Applejack in that manner?"

"I … I wanted to show her she was wrong. I wanted to make her realize breastfeeding Rainbow Dash wasn't as bad as she thought it was."

Silver Lens tapped her pen. "Do you feel like your assault on Applejack was morally justified?"

"No. Dear Celestia, no."

"Would you ..." Silver Lens looked up from her glasses at Rarity. She knew the next question was going to be uncomfortable. "Attack Applejack again?"

"No. Applejack confronted me just on the heels of me learning my sister was getting into … my personal effects, and combining the stress of that with other things I've been dealing with and I … hit my limit to withstand the strain."

"So you would say if it weren't for these circumstances, you would not have attacked Applejack in the manner which you did?"

"Yes. I would say that."

"Okay." Silver Lens wrote down a note. "Thank you. That will be all for now." Silver Lens got up and left the room, walking back downstairs to the others.

"Hello." Silver Lens said to them. "My _preliminary_ assessment is that Rarity isn't dangerous and snapped under duress. I would be willing to volunteer to observe for a period to make a final judgment."

Everyone in the room nodded except for Rainbow Dash and Harshwhinny. Rainbow Dash because she didn't trust anybody in the room as far as she could hurl a dragon, Harshwhinny because …

"Miss Lens, could I talk to you?" Harshwhinny gestured to the foyer.

"Of course." Silver Lens cooperated with Harshwhinny into the other room. "What is it, Inspector?"

"Pardon me for doubting your credentials, Miss Lens, but do you believe Rarity isn't dangerous?"

"Yes. I do. I believe she succumbed to stress and acted differently than she would have if she was in good mental health." Silver Lens adjusted her glasses. "Why?"

"I think Rarity is a danger." Harshwhinny said. "You were not present for Rarity's attack on Applejack. It was violent and vicious, and I believe Rarity is capable of doing it again."

Silver Lens raised her brow. "Now why would you think that?"

Harshwhinny nodded. "Shining Armor sent me into Ponyville to make sure Rarity didn't get out of control again. I read the file and reports. I know what she did. She should be contained."

"I think she just wants to be free." Silver Lens said.

"Silver Lens, are you going to put her well-being above that of the general public?"

"Harshwhinny, are you going to persecute her for a crime she's already been pardoned from?"

Harshwhinny narrowed her eyes at Silver Lens. "This isn't over." Silver Lens watching her, Harshwhinny marched out the door. Silver Lens knew right away she would need to keeping an eye on her.

* * *

The next morning, everyone returned to their homes. After what happened last night, Applejack was in state of mind to lay in bed all day and just sleep until the next day … and possibly the next day. Maybe the next day after that. Possibly the rest of the month, year, maybe her life.

Big Macintosh opened the door to her room. "Applejack?"

Applejack grunted and rolled over. "Wut? Big Brother, y'all know Ah said Ah wasn't up to chores today."

"Eeyup. Ah know." Big Macintosh produced a green bottle, either wine, champagne, or …

"Is that cider?" Applejack asked. "It's not cider season yet ..."

"Nope." Big Macintosh went into the room and handed the bottle to her. Fumbling out from her covers, Applejack saw a pink bow and note attached to it.

""Dear Applejack, Ah bought some apples and made this cider for you. Ah've admired y'all from afar and hope one day Ah can get my courage up to the point where Ah can talk to ya face-to-face." Aww! Well, isn't that sweet. Ah tell ya, Big Brother, after the night Ah, Ah could use a pick-me-up." Refering to her point, Applejack popped the bottle. "Y'all want any?"

"Ah'm good." Big Macintosh said.

"Suit yerself."Applejack raised the bottle up and took a swig. "Mm, tastes different than ours. Must be a different recipe … my belly feels funny all of a sudden."

* * *

Rainbow Dash was not expecting to be summoned to Sweet Apple Acres so soon after what happened last night. She would have thought to given Applejack some breathing room, at least. But no, Apple Bloom knocked on the door to Carousel Boutique and said Applejack needed some help. She'd been vague on how Applejack needed help. She was joined by a groggy Rarity, Coco Pommel, and a worried Fluttershy.

"I hope she's okay after … you know, last night." Fluttershy said, hoping she didn't offend Rainbow Dash too much.

"Uh-huh. Yeah, sure." Dash nodded, letting Fluttershy knew she had failed in her efforts.

At last, they arrived to Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash took the charge and knocked on the door. "Applejack? Applejack, we're here for you!"

Rarity winced. "Ooh, maybe not the best choice of words, dear."

The door swung open, revealing a fighting mad Applejack. "You!" Applejack pointed at Rarity. "Y'all did this to me, didn't ya? And after Ah thought we had buried the hatchet!"

"Applejack, darling, what you are talking about?"

"Y'all know wut I'm talkin' about!"

"Darling, I honestly have no absolutely no clue."

"Hmph." Applejack clutched at her chest. "Excuse me for a sec, won't y'all?" Applejack closed the door.

"I don't think she's coming back." Coco Pommel said after they'd been left waiting for more than was socially accepted.

"In that case ..." Rainbow Dash bumped her elbow on the door to open it. They went inside the house, calling for Applejack. "Applejack? Applejack, where are you?"

"In here!" Applejack shouted from the bathroom. Rainbow Dash grabbed the doorknob and turned it. "R.D., Ah hear yer hand on the doorknob! Don't y'all dare come in right now!"

"Why not?"

"She's in the bathroom, Rainbow Dash." Rarity said. "Of course she doesn't want us in."

"Uh, actually, this is the thing I needed y'all's help with it." Applejack said. "But, uh, promise you won't get mad?"

Dash shrugged. "Why would we get mad?"

"Just promise!"

"Applejack, we promise we won't get mad." Fluttershy said. "Please tell us what's wrong."

"Ah ... it's embarrasing." APplejack said.

"How bad can it be?" Rainbow Dash asked, bursting into the door. She may have promised not to get mad, but she did no such thing for laughing, as she closed the door and rejoined them in the hallway in a uproar of laughter.

"What is it?" Coco Pommel asked.

"She's - she's lactating _cider!"_ Rainbow Dash explained, unable to stifle her laughter for more than a few seconds.

"What?"

"Applejack, how did this happen?" Fluttershy asked through the door.

"Ah got come cider someone had been storing for me today." Applejack explained. "Ah drank some of it, and then … this happened! Would y'all quit laughing, Rainbow Dash?"

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash for a minute. "Applejack, why would you think we would get mad at you for this? It's not your fault you drank the funny cider, is it?"

"No." Applejack admitted. "But after what happened last night, Ah … Ah didn't want y'all to think Ah was a hypocrite, so … anyways, Ah figured Rarity had something to do with. She's got some experience making people make chest fluids."

"As flattering as your opinion of my alchemy skills are, Applejack, I can assure I had no hand in this." Rarity scratched her chin. "Do you still have the bottle? Maybe I can figure something out from it."

"Yeah. It's in my room. Rarity, where are ya goin'? Ah need help here!"

"Rainbow Dash and Coco Pommel will be more than happy to assist you!" Rarity shouted from the other room.

Rainbow Dash snickered. "All right, so … what are we gonna do with you?"

"A way to stop me from making cider would be nice!" Applejack insisted.

"Yeah." Dash nodded. "But we're going to need something to do with you in the meantime while we try to figure that out." Rainbow Dash got a look on her face, grinning Applejack.

"R.D?" Applejack. "Oh no. Y'all better not be thinking wut Ah think yer thinking. "

Dash threw her hands in the air. "Well, I like nursing, I like cider, it's a win-win!"

"Rainbow Dash, allow me to make something clear. You are not puttin' your mouth anywhere near my breasts."

"Fair enough. I wouldn't want to cheat on Rarity anyway. But still," Rainbow observed the cider going down the drain, "It's a waste of an awful lot of cider."

"We're not sellin' it, either!"

"Who said anything about selling it? I was thinking we bottle it, then drink it. Technically, my mouth wouldn't be near your breasts."

"Ummm ..." Fluttershy muttered, looking to Coco Pommel. Coco shrugged. "I don't this is helping, Rainbow Dash."

"Say." Rainbow Dash said. "Is it soft cider or hard cider?"

Applejack grunted at Rainbow Dash's frustrating lack of focus on the issue at hand.

* * *

Rarity was walking through the street, holding the bottle up to her nose. Who would have the resources, ingenuity, and malice to come up with something such as the bottle of cider-producing cider she was holding now?

With the bottle in front of her face, Rarity didn't notice herself crossing paths with someone in front of her.

"Oh! I'm sorry, darling."

"It's okay." Diamond Tiara said, rubbing her head. "I wasn't watching where I was going ..."

Rarity became concerned. Diamond Tiara, the brattiest of spoiled brats, was being apologetic and modest. "Diamond Tiara, are you feeling all right?"

"No." Diamond Tiara groaned. "Daddy's hanging out with this new lady in his life and I don't like her."

"Oh, dear. That must be frustrating for you." Rarity empathized with her. She hadn't experienced it herself, but someone important to her getting attached to someone she loathed … she imagined she would be less than happy. "Who's the lucky lady?"

* * *

On her way back from the store to Filthy Rich's house, Suri was humming to herself, carrying groceries bags on her arms. She was going to get Filthy to adore her soon.

"Suri, put the groceries down."

Suri whirled around and somehow was not at all surprised to see Rarity a few feet from her. "Oh, hello, doll. Nice weather we're having, isn't it?"

Rarity glared at her. She held up the bottle of cider. "How did you make it?"

"Pardon?"

"How did you make this cider?" Rarity tilted the bottle, pouring cider onto the grass. "Someone sent this bottle to my friend, Applejack, and it caused her to produce cider from her chest. When Diamond Tiara told me you were in town, I knew right away it had to be you. How did you make it?"

"Doll, I have no idea what you're talking about." Suri insisted.

Rarity chuckled. "That's funny. I don't believe you. Perhaps because you're a liar and a cheat?"

"Hmm. If you say so."

"I won't let you get away with doing this to Applejack." Rarity snarled. She marched towards Suri, head poised, shoulders hunched in an attack position. Rarity raised her hand and held Suri's shoulders with her magic. With Suri restrained, Rarity grabbed Suri's chin and tilted it up. She put the cider to bottle to her lips and forced Suri to drink it a few gulps.

"Let's see how you like it." Rarity released her grip on Suri. She raised the cider bottle over her head and tossed to the ground, shattering it and spraying cider all over the grass.

Suri swallowed hard, gasping for air. She watched Rarity walk away a few steps before deciding to speak. "Rarity?"

Rarity looked back to her. "Yes?"

"Why did you save me from Fleur?" Suri asked. "One minute, you're embarrassing me in front of Fancypants, the next you're saving me, and now you're trying to hurt me again. Why? Why so … inconsistent? Are you bipolar or something?"

Rarity sighed. "Fleur was a special case. You earned no right to be rescued. But I knew what Fleur-de-lis was going to do to you." Rarity put her hand over her heart. "And I couldn't live with myself if I simply allowed Fleur to have her way. As to why I try to hurt you, I see myself in you. All the bad in me. All the things I could be if things had been different for me. Myself after one bad day. I suppose … I suppose I think, in some way, that to hurt you will somehow purge myself of my faults." Rarity continued on her way.

"Uh-huh." Suri nodded, not understanding quite what Rarity meant by her words. Feeling her chest gurgle, Suri looked down to see her dress becoming wait.

Rarity meant to take revenge on her for Applejack. Despite her penchant for deceit, Suri had been honest when she said she knew nothing about the cider or how it was made. But Suri saw her chest and knew right away she could use it to her advantage, so she wasn't going to give it much thought.

Picking up her bags and returning back to her original course before Rarity interrupted her, Suri went to Filthy Rich's house. Filthy answered the door for her.

"Rich!" Suri exclaimed, letting herself inside.

"Er, hello, Suri." Filthy said, closing the door. "Listen … Suri, we need to talk."

"Oh?" Suri asked. "About what?"

"About you being here." Filthy said. "About you being in my life. I don't think it's good for Diamond Tiara. I think she doesn't like you."

"Oh, I have a way to fix that." Suri saw the door open and Diamond Tiara returned. "Ah, here she is! My special girl." Suri rubbed Diamond Tiara's hair. Diamond Tiara had no warm reception for her touch.

"I brought a gift for you!" Suri said, pulling a box out from the bag. "A doll from the store – one of their most expensive ones." Suri offered the doll to Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara examined the box for a minute. "Keep it." Diamond Tiara marched past the both of them.

Filtyh Rich grimaced. "Odd … I've never known Diamond Tiara to reject gifts before, especially not expensive ones. In fact, I think this is the first time I've seen her reject a gift ever."

"She'll come around." Suri assured him, dropping her bags. "I have a gift for you too."

"Now, Suri, you know I love my daughter, and if she doesn't approve of you, then I'll have no choice but to ask you to go."

"But Filthy!" Suri whined, coming towards him. "Think about all the things you'll be depriving yourself of. You deserve a good treat."

Filthy Rich backed away as if frightened by Suri's forwardness. "Filthy, please." Suri begged.

Filthy sniffed the air. "What smells like cider?"

"That … would be me." Suri brought a hand up, gesturing at her chest.

Filthy bit his lip. "You don't mean …"

Suri nodded. "Oh, yes, Filthy. I do mean. Now, are you ready for your gift?"

Pulling the door shut, Diamond Tiara sunk to the floorboard of the closet. A filthy, dusty place she would, in normal circumstances, consider herself much too good be anywhere near. She wrapped her arms around her legs, pressed her face into her knees, and she cried.

* * *

In the Boutique, Rarity stirred a cup of coffee, a steam trail rising up from the dark liquid. Her stirring was repetitive, mechanical, as if she was only moving the spoon around because her programming was to do so.

Sweetie Belle came down from the stairs, making her way inch-by-inch as if each step would be her last. She peered over the door to see Rarity, motionless, at the table.

Sweetie Belle, grimacing and closing her eyes, made her way into the kitchen. She stopped by the sink, expecting Rarity to call her name and lecture her. When Rarity didn't, she opened her eyes.

"Uh, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Aren't you gonna, you know, get onto me for using your powder?"

Rarity lifted her cup up and drank it with the same robotic mannerism she'd been exhibiting. "No. Not today. Rest assured, it is coming … just not today." Displaying some semblance of free will again, Rarity got up from her seat. "Silver Lens is supposed to come under and put me under "observation" which is just a polite way of saying house arrest. I'm afraid the whole dreadful business has my mind occupied, dear."

Rarity walked to the counter to get some cream while Sweetie Belle exhaled, relaxing. She was home free.

Sweetie Belle progressed on her way to the door. She lay a grasp on the door knob, relieved she had escaped any consequences from her actions last night, for the moment at least.

"Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle was not expecting Rainbow Dash to be in the doorway, with her arms crossed and her mouth worried.

"We … need to talk."

With those four words, Sweetie Belle's heart sank like a stone into the pit of her stomach. Having Rarity say they needed to talk was bad enough, but for Rainbow Dash to say it? Carefree, irresponsible, lack-a-daisy Rainbow Dash? It was a measure of distressing Rarity reserved for her worst days.

And the absolute worst part was Rainbow Dash didn't even appear to be angry, more … concerned.

Removing her hands from the door, Sweetie Belle gulped. "Okay. What do we need to talk about?"

"You said you had a crush on Scootaloo last night." Rainbow Dash said.

Sweetie Belle nodded. "I did. I do."

"You know I care about Scootaloo. Like, a lot." Rainbow Dash continued.

"Yeah?" Come on, Rainbow Dash. Where was it? Where was the violent outburst from Sweetie Belle was expecting?

"So you should also know I don't want you going after her in a way that might hurt both of you." Rainbow Dash said.

Sweetie Belle nodded, trying to soak in Rainbow Dash's words. "Going after her in a way that might … wait, so you're okay with me, uh, how does Rarity put it? Pursuing her?"

Now it was Rainbow's turn to nod. "Of course! I know what's like to be … in love with somebody." She glanced towards the kitchen where Rarity was. "So deeply in love you'd do anything for her. But Scootaloo is your friend. You need to play it safe so you have something to fall back on if it doesn't work out. Getting into Rarity's powder and doing a belly dance for her?" Rainbow Dash made a crisscrossing sweeping gesture. "NOT playing it safe."

"Okay ..." Sweetie Belle shrugged. "What do you think I should do?"

"My advice? Damage control. Make sure Scootaloo's still okay with seeing you as friend after what you did last night. Come on." Rainbow Dash put her hand on Sweetie's shoulder. "I'll help you. Let's go find her." Rainbow Dash opened the door for her, inviting her and communicating to Sweetie Belle a sense of "_It's all going to be okay._"

They didn't need to travel far to find Scootaloo, sitting on a bench a few blocks away. She was quite receptive to Sweetie and Rainbow Dash, waving them over. "Hi guys!" With Dash's assurance, Sweetie Belle and her sat on either side of Scootaloo.

"Boy, last night sure was weird, huh?" Scootaloo asked, causing Sweetie Belle to feel guilt.

"Yeah. Yeah!" Sweetie Belle agreed. Perhaps agreeing too much for Scootaloo's sake.

_Play it cool._ Rainbow Dash mouthed to Sweetie Belle.

"I guess you got a bit of all the craziness Rarity was going through, huh?" Scootaloo asked, offending Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle clenched her fist, ready to defend Rarity, but Rainbow Dash waved her hands around, signaling for not to do it. Rainbow nodded her head furiously, communicating to Sweetie Belle to just agree for now. Scootaloo heard the whoosh of waving arms and turned around. Rainbow Dash was quicker than Scootaloo and returned to a normal pose before Scootaloo could see anything out of the ordinary.

"Uh, yeah. I was." Sweetie said.

"Say, did she ever get all of that worked out?" Scootaloo asked.

"Umm ..." Whatever answer Sweetie Belle was prepared to give, whatever lie Rainbow Dash was going to guide her into saying, was cut sort by the arrival of Diamond Tiara carrying two ice cream cones, one chocolate, one vanilla.

Diamond Tiara, maintaining a nervous smile, approached the bench.

Sweetie Belle crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

Diamond gave a nervous chuckle to match her smile. "I, um, wanted to give Scootaloo some ice cream. I didn't know what flavor she liked, so I just got vanilla. I … didn't know you two were going to be here, or I would have got one for each of you."

"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Who are you and what have you done with Diamond Tiara?"

"I am Diamond Tiara." Diamond Tiara insisted, offering Scootaloo the chocolate cone. "Consider this a peace offering." Scootaloo took it. Giving Diamond Tiara a suspicious look, she was about to lick it when her tongue stopped short.

"This doesn't have like, any worms or something in it?" Scootaloo asked. "Or something that will turn me into a mean girl like you?"

"No, no! Nothing like that."

Sweetie Belle, her anger roused, stood up from the bench. "All right, you woman-stealer! I've had enough of you getting your grubby rich hands all over MY Scootaloo!" She slapped Diamond Tiara's hand, sending the ice cream flying into Diamond Tiara's dress and knocking her to the dirt.

"Hey!" Scootaloo got up. "Not cool, Sweetie Belle! And what do you mean, "Your Scootaloo?""

Sweetie Belle, hearing her mistake, covered her hands over her mouth.

"Too soon to be making that kind of claim, girl." Rainbow Dash scolding was firm but fair.

Breaking down under Scootaloo's angry glare, Sweetie Belle took her hands off her mouth and did her best to explain. "Well, Scootaloo, I, I mean, she-"

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity arrived on the scene, wearing a purple scarf. She raised a brow at Rainbow Dash. "I take my eyes off the two of you for one minute and I find you're throwing ice cream against random girls!"

"No, Rarity, it wasn't like that!" Sweetie Belle insisted, though in truth, she was glad Rarity's arrival saved her from explaining herself to Scootaloo.

"Oh? Pray tell, Sweetie Belle, what was it like?" Rarity bent down, taking off her scarf and sacrificing it to use as a towel for Diamond Tiara's dress as she helped Diamond Tiara to her feet. "There, there, darling. Don't cry now, the worst is over now."

"No it's not!" Diamond Tiara screeched, pushing Rarity away once she was on her two feet. She was crying so much her mascara was running down her cheeks. "I just … I was only trying to flirt with Scootaloo because she was nice to me." Diamond Tiara crossed her arms and turned her away her head, trying to do her usual snubbing of her inferiors, but the effect didn't come through the way it was intended. "She helped me out of mud, and since she was nice, I thought … I thought she could be my safe house."

"Your safe house?" Rarity asked. Everyone else was also intrigued. "Whatever do you mean, darling?"

"I mean, my house is going to be ruined!" Diamond Tiara wailed, stomping her feet into the dirt. "Daddy's says he loves me more than her, but I saw him with her! I saw get on his knees. He says he'll choose me over her, but I know what kind of things a woman can do!"

Rarity looked at Sweetie Belle expecting her to know. "What woman?"

"Suri." Diamond Tiara answered. "Suri Polomare – Suri – my _mother!_" Diamond stomped her foot into the ground. "She left before I was born, and now that's she back, she thinks she can just waltz like it's her house, and it isn't! It's my house! IT'S DADDY'S HOUSE! But she thinks she's just so great because she's back now and pour cider out of her chest ..."

"Cider?" Rarity bit her fingernails.

"Isn't that what happened to Applejack?" Rainbow Dash said.

"A moment, please." Rarity grabbed Rainbow by the shoulders and dragged her some distance the teenagers couldn't hear them. "Rainbow Dash, do you know what I've done?"

"Uh ..." Dash thought about it. "No. What?"

"Diamond Tiara told me earlier about Suri being here in Ponyville, but she left out the fact Suri was her mother. I thought Suri did it to Applejack to take revenge on me, especially after last night. I … I took the bottle of cider and made Suri drink some it before smashing it. But the way Diamond Tiara speaks, it seems Suri was telling the truth when she said she didn't know. Do you know what this means?" Rarity grabbed Rainbow Dash by the shoulders. "With Suri using the cider to seduce Filthy, this means I've contributed to Diamond Tiara's misery! Oh, what have I done?"

Rarity brought Rainbow Dash back over to the teens. Now understanding her plight, Scootaloo patted Diamond Tiara's shoulders while Sweetie Belle worked on cleaning the ice cream off.

"Diamond Tiara." Rarity said in one of her more authoritative tones. "I regret to inform you that I may have played a part in Suri seducing your father. But rest assured, I will not rest until I've righted this wrong. And found out who made this special cider." She added, whispering to Rainbow Dash.

Diamond Tiara sniveled, her face wet with tears. "You mean it?"

"Of course I mean it."

"Oh, thank you!" Diamond Tiara leaped up and hugged Rarity, which did not please Sweetie Belle. Giving her sister a sharp look, Rarity looked down at the crying Diamond Tiara and embraced her, resting her chin on Diamond Tiara's head.

* * *

In the library, Twilight Sparkle was resting her elbow on her desk, a series of vials bubbling in front of her. She wasn't making actual scientific experimentation. She knew what the chemicals did when mixed with each other. She was trying to give herself a distraction from the events of last night.

Twilight's focus went from her vials to her door as it opened.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight exclaimed, surprised Celestia would visit her at this time. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I heard you've had a stressful couple of days." Celestia said, strutting towards her. Twilight didn't notice all the signs of a planned seduction Celestia was showing. Her top was cut lower, she was strutting, and her voice was low and quiet. "I thought I'd come and help you ease your mind."

"Oh, thank you so much. Let me tell you, after the week I've been having, I could really use a break." Twilight moved back to her vials. "Just let me turn these off and I'll be right with you ..."

"Twilight Sparkle, you mention you had a dream once, involving me, recently, did you not?"

"Yes." Twilight answered with uncertainty as she pour a neutralizing agent into her vial. "Why?" She turned and her eyes widened.

Celestia had pulled her dress down to one side. "I'm here to make your dreams come true."

"Um." Twilight stammered. "Princess Celestia, I'm not sure-"

"Oh, pish-posh. It'll be fine!"

"Princess, I really don't think -"

"Princess Celestia, I'm really not sure I'm comfortable with you- "

"Shhh." Celestia whispered, placing a hand on Twilight's head. Twilight's eyes turned glassy as a green energy flowed from Celestia's hand into Twilight's face. A green mist appeared in air, which made its way into Twilight's mouth, causing her eyes to glow green. The mental space in Twilight's head meant to have her mind was soon replaced by a mush.

"Mmm ..." Twilight moaned. Her mind was too foggy to think there was anything strange about this at all.

"Yes." Celestia purred, running her hand up and down Twilight's cheek. "Good girl. Good, good girl … Twilight Sparkle."

"Come." Celestia said, her voice taking on an echoing quality. She picked Twilight up and heaved her over her shoulder. "We've dallied too long." She and Cadence left the library, where a passerby spotted them.

"What's the matter?" Celestia asked him with aggression. "You've never seen a Princess carry a girl before? Keep walking." Celestia glared at him as he left. She and Cadence went on their way as if nothing was wrong or out-of-place about the sight of Princess Celestia carrying a drugged-up Twilight Sparkle until they arrived in the forest, where Trixie was waiting for them.

Once in the forest, sure no one could see them, Celestia snapped her fingers. A green fire consumed her, which burned away, revealing Princess Celestia to be a tall, attractive, busty figure wearing a black dress with a green tabard, similar to the garb of Princess Celestia – the Changeling Queen, Chrysalis.

"Superbly done, My Lady." Trixie said with a bow, taking off her hat.

"Hmm, wasn't it, though?" Chrysalis said. Disguising herself as Celestia made seducing and enthralling Twilight Sparkle so easy. Using Celestia to charm Twilight was a cinch.

Chrysalis and Trixie went further into the forest, where Spike, also enthralled, and the Citrus Slime were waiting for them.

"Ah, I remember how delicious feeding on that boy's love was." Chrysalis muttered, observing Spike. She set Twilight down next to him.

"Not that the Great and Powerful Trixie isn't grateful for the chance to dominate Twilight Sparkle ..." Trixie said. "But why do we need her again?"

"Because, Trixie," Chrysalis said, "the more magic we have on our team, the better. I can't have too many Changelings milling about, or someone's bound to take notice. You recall how difficult summoning the Citrus Slime was with just the two of us – we barely managed it in time to send it after Fancypants. With Twilight Sparkle, the process will be much easier. The book."

With glee, Trixie held the book up. Chrysalis took it from her and began to thumb through its pages.

"Hmm, what devious creature should we add to our army of deviants, next?" Chrysalis wondered. "Ah, this looks promising. _Queen Bee; produces a special type of honey which enthralls once consumed._ Trixie, bring Twilight Sparkle over here."

Trixie dragged Twilight over. Chrysalis grabbed took Twilight's hand. "Everyone, read the incantation." Chrysalis, Trixie, and Twilight under Chrysalis' command spoke in unison, reading the words of the book together with their hands glowing. The pages on the book began to shimmer with a glorious white light, which rose from the book and took the shape of a sphere. The sphere rose in the air, sparkled, and flashed before disappearing under an eardrum-shattering boom.

Chrysalis admired her handiwork. Where the sphere was now floated a woman with elements of a bee. She wore her purple hair in a bun, a skin-tight dress with the pattern of a bee, wings, compound eyes, and a huge stinger hanging off her backside. Her bust was small, but her hips were wide.

"Where am I?" The bee-woman muttered, looking left and right.

"Hmm." Trixie observed. "This one seems to be more of an individual than the Slime."

"No matter." Chrysalis cleared her throat, calling for the bee-woman's attention. "Attention, bee-woman! I am the Changeling Queen, Chrysalis. I have summoned from the pages of this book to serve as my new army." Chrysalis held the book up. "With an army of creatures like you under my command, spreading your respective infections of love and lust across Equestria, my Changelings will have enough amorous feelings to feed on to become all-powerful."

The bee fluttered down to the ground, crossing her arms. "What's in it for me?"

"What's in it for you? Why, you'll get to rule Equestria alongside my other minions!" Chrysalis said.

"Hmm." The bee-woman did not seem convinced.

"Stupid Twilight Sparkle ..." A voice muttered, followed by the crunch of leaves underfoot. "Take my crown away from me … I'll make her sorry she crossed me!" Stepping out from the woods emerged another woman, with fiery inferno hair, a purple shirt, and a blazer jacket. She saw Twilight Sparkle and her eyes narrowed with wolfish fury. "Ah-ha! Now I've got you, Twilight Sparkle!

Chrysalis scoffed, shrugging. "Now what?"

"Who are you?" Trixie demanded the stranger.

"Me? I'm Sunset Shimmer." The blazer-jacketed woman said, pointing to herself. "I've been looking for Twilight Sparkle to get revenge on her for humiliating me. And now you two were nice enough to find her for me." Sunset Shimmer rolled her hands, smirking. "Say, who are you? And … what is this thing?" She gestured to the bee.

"Call me Honeycomb." The bee-woman named herself. She observed Sunset Shimmer. "You're an attractive one ..." She cupped her chin, admiring Sunset's body.

"You say you were humiliated by Twilight Sparkle as well?" Chrysalis asked, stealing over to Sunset Shimmer and wrapping her arm around her. "Say, I was humiliated by her, too, and Trixie as well! Perhaps you would to join this little club of ours?"

"Maybe." Sunset said. "I mean, I like the little slime thing, and you have Twilight Sparkle and her pet brat under your control, so you must be doing something right."

"Excellent!" Chrysalis cheered. "We'll conquer Equestria and do terrible things to Celestia, with me at the helm you three as my minions!"

"Whoa, whoa. Minions?" Sunset Shimmer asked, pushing Chrysalis off. "Sorry, honey, but Sunset Shimmer doesn't play second fiddle to anyone."

Chrysalis pursed her lips. "Is that so? Well, I'm sorry to inform you that I certainly won't be anyone's minion."

"Seems we're at a conundrum, then."

"Yes, it seems so."

Chrysalis and Sunset Shimmer locked gazes. Each of them had the same idea, which was to raise their hands and fire out bursts of green fire at the other. Their spells collided in mid-air, preventing either spell from gaining ground. Charging up power in their fists, they each fired another volley of fire. This collision had a more … explosive effect than the last one, scorching the earth and forest and throwing Chrysalis and Trixie against the trees.

"Well." Trixie coughed, a puff of smoke escaping her soot-covered her face. "At least we're alive and don't have to deal with her anymore." Trixie grabbed Chrysalis' hand and helped her up.

"Wait a minute ..." Chrysalis examined their surroundings. She screamed in rage, seeing they had Spike, and the Slime, but no Twilight Sparkle or Honeycomb.

* * *

"So glad you decided to ditch those losers and come with me, instead." Sunset Shimmer said to Honeycomb, sitting next to her on the forest floor.

"What can I say? You intrigued me." Honeycomb responded. "Especially with that, mmm, firm body of yours."

"Well, I can't say I'm not attractive." Sunset Shimmer boasted, raising up a glass of cider. "Isn't that right, Twilight Sparkle?"

In front of them, Twilight Sparkle was wearing a belly dancer outfit, doing a dance for them. She was also balancing a platter in the air with her magic. On the platter was a glass containing the cider which had plagued Applejack - a special mixture of apples and Poison Joke of Sunset's own concoction.

Twilight nodded. "Yes, Mistress ..."

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Affliction"**

**I will come out right now and say this chapter ended up being way, way too big. I mean, the scene where Harshwhinny and Silver Lens have their conversation? Perfect place to end the chapter. The part where Diamond Tiara hides in the closet? Perfect place to end the chapter. Scene where Rarity and Diamond Tiara hug? Sensing a trend yet?**

**But nevertheless, I ended up including the last scenes because I … basically did a thought-dump, where I wrote down all my ideas onto the page, just in a more coherent form than is usually associated with the term. Everything UP TO but NOT including the scene where Chrysalis-Celestia seduces Twilight was paced well, I feel. Yet, I included that part anyway because 1) I already had Chrysalis in the chapter, 2) I wanted to reveal who was REALLY behind the special cider and 3) I've been wanting to introduce Sunset Shimmer and Honeycomb since Chapter 1.**

**I was going to put them into chapter 2, but I felt asking the audience to buy that Sunset Shimmer just HAPPENED to be on a way to Ponyville in a way which lead to her encountering Honeycomb stretched the suspension of disbelief.**

**I also wanted the chapter length to be longer, as I noticed that Chapter 1 and 2 had lower wordcounts than Chapter 1 and 2 in A Poison Most Intimate. I know wordcount isn't everything, but I felt upset the sequel had less words-per-chapter, because the sequel is supposed to bigger, badder, better! The length was a length I liked in Chapter 3, but now I've overshot the mark in Chapter 4.**

**Honeycomb was inspired by a picture I saw of Queen Bee of DC Comics fame.**

_**10/22/14 Censorship Edits:**_

_**The full extent of the scene where Celestia seduces Twilight was removed. Scootaloo nursing Sweetie Belle was cut out. When seducing Filthy Rich, Suri doesn't take her clothes off. Fluttershy's dream which Discord interrupts was changed from nursing to glasses. Minor cuts to Rarity before she, Dash, and Coco Pommel are interrupted by discovering Fluttershy. Rarity's assault on Applejack was also changed to use a conjured glass instead. The cliffhanger ending has Twilight dressed in a belly dancer outfit instead of what it originally was.**_


	5. Acids and Bases

By Darkryt Orbinautz

Last Glass of Poison

Chapter 5

Acids and Bases

* * *

Twilight continued to enjoy herself. Sunset smiled, resting on Honeycomb, delighted with the results of her handiwork.

Twilight panted for breath before stopping her display. Blinking and groaning, she clutched her head. "Ooh … ow. What happened?" She blinked again, trying to process her surroundings. "Where am I?" She looked down at her state of undress. "And why am I dressed like this?"

Sunset Shimmer gave disapproving glare. "What's happening?"

"If I may, mmm, suggest something." Honeycomb said. "I believe our other friends may have a cast on her to make her more, mmm, willing to their, mmm, unsavory intentions."

"Great. So now what do we do?" After getting so lucky with kidnapping Twilight from Chrysalis and her buddies, Sunset would be upset to lose her prize to something as simple as Twilight waking up from a spell. "I don't want to get into a magic duel with her."

"If I may," Honeycomb stood up, "now would be an, mmm, excellent time for me to demonstrate what I'm capable of … to my new mistress." She turned to Sunset with a warm smile.

Sunset gave a naughty smirk in return. "Mistress approves. Proceed."

"What?" Twilight asked, with her mind only now clear to process what was going on around here. "Wait, what's going on here? Who are you? What are you doing? Stop!"

Twilight protested and struggled as Honeycomb approached her. "Quit, mmm, struggling." Honeycomb grabbed Twilight by the arm and held her. Honeycomb flicked her index finger and a bee's stinger popped out, closer to the function if a cat's retractable claw function than a bee's stinger. With no signs of emotion or sympathy for her struggling victim, Honeycomb injected the stinger into Twilight's neck.

"Stop it!" Twilight wiggled and flailed, but Honeycomb's grip was cast-iron. Twilight lifted her other hand, which acquired a purple glow to it.

Sunset recognized the glow as magic and knew magic was Twilight's forte. She barked out an order to Honeycomb before Twilight could complete her no-doubt devastating spell. "Quick, hold her hands behind her back."

If Honeycomb had any doubt or resistance, she didn't show it. She grabbed Twilight's other hand by the wrist and went around her, keeping a tight grip on both of Twilight's hands and holding them to Twilight's back. Twilight continued to struggle, but with Honeycomb holding her wrists, she wasn't any sure she could keep any spell she might try from backfiring. When she quit attempting to wriggle her way free, Twilight noticed her captor. "Sunset Shimmer?"

Sunset got up from the ground and crossed her arms. "Hello, Twilight Sparkle."

"Sunset, what are you doing here?"

"Getting revenge on you." Sunset pointed an accusing finger at Twilight. "Do you have any idea what you did to me?" Sunset paced around, wiping her hands over her temples. "It took me weeks – years to crawl out from under the pile of rubble you left me under and build my power back up at the school."

"Power?" Twilight frowned. "But … I thought you were good now. I thought you had changed!" She gave her hands an instinctive jerk, knowing Honeycomb wouldn't release them.

Sunset just laughed in Twilight's face. "Oh, Twilight. People don't change. They just say they have."

Twilight hardened her gaze at Sunset, which made her step back a little. Sunset still wasn't used to people standing up to her. "You're wrong. Discord's changed. Why can't you?"

"Discord?" Sunset said. "As in, the Spirit of Disharmony? Oh please, Twilight. He hasn't changed, he's just biding his time for the right moment to let loose." Sunset raised her hands in the air in an emulation of what it would be like when Discord decided to make his move.

"You're wrong." Twilight insisted. She looked away from Sunset, not wanting to face the reality Sunset was still the small-minded bully she'd always been. "Why now?"

"Pardon?"

"Why take your revenge now? It's been ten, maybe eleven years since I saw you last. Why wait so long? Surely you could have come at any time?"

"I could have." Sunset admitted. "But like I said, it took me awhile to rebuild my power and reestablish the pecking order in my town. And it is _my_ town. A few years to deal with the trauma of you defeating me, a few years to start rebuilding my empire, another few years to solidify my grip on that empire ..." Sunset made a fist. "Add it all up and it makes perfect sense it took me so long. And you ..." Sunset pointed her finger again with a smug smirk. "Are going to put it on a show for me."

Twilight glared at her. "What gives you that idea?"

Sunset snapped her fingers. Honeycomb reached over and stabbed her finger-stinger into Twilight's neck again, causing Twilight to moan in pain at the intrusion before it gave it to a curious sort of pleasure as something cool entered her bloodstream

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked through grimaced teeth.

"Injecting you with a special kind of honey." Honeycomb explained. "It brings a great deal of, mmm, pleasure in addition to making your mind foggy."

Twilight gasped, feeling just what Honeycomb was talking about as her thoughts slowly, her thoughts muddled over a period of a few minutes.

"Come on, Twilight." Sunset encouraged, watching Twilight squirm and break into a sweat. "Moan a little. Gasp. Scream for more."

"N-no." Twilight insisted through her increasingly labored breath. Screaming and moaning was what Sunset wanted, and Twilight was determined not to give Sunset what she wanted.

"Hmm." Sunset frowned, running her finger over her chin as she contemplated what to do. "Ah!" She snapped her fingers, having a brainstorm. She went over to Honeycomb and whispered something into the bee's ear. Honeycomb nodded. Sunset walked back to her spot while Honeycomb continue pumping Twilight up.

"Okay, Honeycomb … stop."

At Sunset's command, Honeycomb jerked her stinger out of Twilight's neck. Twilight breathed a heavy sigh of relief at being allowed to catch her breath.

Her relief was cut short when Sunset followed up with another command.

"Go."

Honeycomb stabbed the stinger through Twilight's soft flesh again, resuming the injection of cool, golden syrup into Twilight's system.

"Stop."

Honeycomb stopped.

"Go."

Honeycomb resumed. Twilight panted and moaned as the honey continued flowing into her. Twilight admired Sunset's deviousness, if only for the intelligence of it. Just giving a constant, continuous pumping was something Twilight could, with time, adjust to. But giving her a little bit of honey, a little bit of pleasure, then stopping and denying her the pleasure before starting it once more only to take it away again was a much more tortuous method and threatened to break her.

"What do you say, Twilight?" Sunset teased. "Had enough? Or _not_ enough, I should say?"

"No." Twilight continued, remaining defiant. "I don't need it!" In a fit mental state, Twilight would never say this out loud. But she wasn't in a fit mental state, so she didn't have the reserve to keep herself from letting something slip out. Something she would regret saying to their faces. Something she would never forgive herself for saying, if she even realized she was saying it.

"I don't need it! I'm not a junkie! I'm not an _addict_ like Rainbow Dash and Rarity!"

Sunset raised an eyebrow. She filed this fact away for further abuse at a later time. "Oh?" Sunset approached approached Twilight and put a finger on her chin. She puffed out her chest in pride and came closer to Twilight, as a sort of intimidation/seduction hybrid tactic. "Why don't you tell me how you really feel, Twilight?"

Twilight panted and huffed. Her cheeks were flushed, her face was soaked with sweat, and Honeycomb's intrusions had made her feel embarrassed and heated.

"I feel ..." Twilight panted. "I feel thirsty." Honeycomb's torment was giving her a dry throat.

This gave Sunset an awful idea. She smiled. "Oh, well, I think I have just the thing for that." Sunset went back to her and Honeycomb's resting spot and picked up the bottle of corrupt cider. She brought it to Twilight. "It's my own special blend. Open wide." Sunset lifted the bottle up to Twilight's mouth and gently tilted it forward to pour the cider into her. Twilight's lips found purchase around the tip of the bottle and wouldn't let it go.

"Hmm." Sunset observed as Twilight chugged the stuff down. "Honeycomb, let her go."

Honeycomb did as told, releasing her grip on Twilight's hands. Twilight behaved just as Sunset Shimmer expected, grabbing the cider bottle and yanking it from Sunset's hands. Twilight tilted it back and drank almost all of it before stopping it for breath.

"Why don't we just take this away before you choke on it?" Sunset Shimmer gestured, pinching the tip of the bottle with her fingers and gently lifting it out of Twilight's grasp.

Twilight continued to pant, moan, shiver, and shudder. "I feel … so … full." Twilight panted.

"If I may be excused?" Honeycomb asked. "I believe Twilight will obey you now, so I would like to collect honey for the metamorphosis."

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Sunset waved her hand to let Honeycomb know she was dismissed, not paying too much attention. "Twilight?"

"Y-yes?" Twilight answered shakily.

"How do you feel?" Sunset cupped Twilight's chin.

"W-wonderful." Twilight muttered, looking up at Sunset's eyes like they were the most beautiful gem in the world. "I feel so good."

"Good … good." Sunset nodded. She lifted the cider bottle up and rocked it back and forth, letting the sunlight reflect off it. "Why don't we have a little fun together, Twilight?" Sunset sipped down the last dregs of cider in the bottle before tossing it to the ground where it shattered.

"Whoa!" Twilight let out a gasp as a spike of pleasure surged through her body.

"Ooh …" Twilight caved into her lust. She knew better, but she didn't care. Honeycomb's nectar had more effect on her mind than it initially appeared to, and she was drunk, and besides, Sunset was a damn good tease. She leaned forward and forced Sunset's breasts into accepting her head.

Sunset was taken by surprise at first, but she relaxed and smiled. "Ooh, you're a bad girl, aren't you? Touching Mistress's breasts without permission … you're going to need to be punished."

Twilight nuzzled said breasts for awhile before popping her head out. "Punished? Oh! Roleplay! I've never done roleplay with anyone before … sounds like fun. Okay. I'm the bad girl and I need to be punished." Twilight, accepting the role, got down to her knees.

Sunset blanked out for a moment. "Uh, yes, sure. Roleplay. _That's_ what we're doing." Sunset, in no way meaning something else. Ditching her jacket, she joined Twilight on the ground.

She placed her hands on Twilight's shoulders. "Now, let's have that fun." She leaned forward and gave Twilight a deep kiss with her cider-kissed lips.

* * *

Back in her patch of the woods, Chrysalis was thumbing through the pages of the book. She may have lost Twilight Sparkle and access to her powerful magic, but Twilight was only ever a secondary prize to begin with.

"Uh." Trixie noticed Chrysalis holding the book. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find another monster to summon for my conquest." Chrysalis held her gaze to the book with a furrowed brow.

Trixie scratched her head. "The Great and Powerful Trixie does not think that's a good idea, given what happened with the last monster we tried to summon …"

"Oh, hush. It'll be fine. Hmm." Chrysalis purred when she saw page with an illustration which caught her eye. "Now these look like they have potential... beautiful but deadly, who uses music to lure victims to their doom." Raising her hand, Chrysalis read the book aloud and cast the incantation which would summon these beings. Trixie shook her head and looked away, disbelieving Chrysalis could be so stupid after what happened with Honeycomb.

A green fog manifested around Chrysalis' hand. It swirled around her hand before spreading. First across her body before enveloping the forest floor. Trixie shivered, uncomfortable with the fact she couldn't see her hand in front of her face.

Chanting could be heard from inside the green mist. Three voices, vocalizing in perfect harmony, as the green fog faded and Chrysalis' summoned monsters could be seen.

Trixie wasn't sure what to expect. After the Citrus Slime and Honeycomb, these new monsters looked a bit too normal. There were three women standing in front of them, each of them wearing a necklace with a red gem in it. One of them had huge, poofy orange hair and wore platform boots and a spiked hairband. Another wore her purple hair in long pigtails with a tattered jacket, looking distinctly "punk." The last of them wore a tight sweater-vest with a skirt and a dual-tone blue ponytail.

"Ah." The one with the huge poofy hair stretched her arms, enjoying her freedom. "It feels so good to be out of that place." She looked around her surroundings with a smile before noticing Chrysalis. "I take it you're the one who summoned us?"

"I am." Chrysalis smirked. She liked where this was going.

"Then please, allow me to speak on behalf of my comrades when I say thank you." She approached Chrysalis, got on one knee, and took Chrysalis' hand to kiss the back of it. Chrysalis was pleased. The woman rose and bowed. "My name is Adagio Dazzle." She gestured to the others in turn. "These are my cohorts, Aria Blaze -"

"'Sup."

"And Sonata Dusk."

"Hiiii."

"I'm sure you read the book, but we're sirens." Adagio Dazzle said. "We feed off love, adoration, the absence of love, and conflict. Our singing can lull the most weary of souls to deep sleep." Adagio Dazzle flashed a wide smiled. "So knowing all this, tell me. What can we do for you?"

Chrysalis smiled and nodded, pleased with Adagio's subservience – especially after what happened with Honeycomb. "I'm trying to raise an army – an army of seductive creatures, like yourself."

"Guilty as charged." Aria said with a husky voice, causing Trixie to blush.

"To plunge Equestria into a brainwashed, dominated love frenzy." Chrysalis said. "You see, my subjects – Changelings – feed off the love of others. And Equestria has more love in than any land I've seen, so to have their subjects under my thumb would be good for my Changelings' food supply. And there's a little bit of personal revenge in there as well."

"Hmm." Adagio cupped her chin and nodded. "Well, given that we feed on love, and your Changelings feed on love, I think it would be mutually beneficial for us to work together." Adagio showed her boldness by putting a hand on Chrysalis' breast.

"Glad to hear it." Chrysalis said, not at all offended. Though her expression soon changed to one of frustration. "There is … one thing."

"Yes?"

"I have enemies." Chrysalis said. "Princess Celestia's student, Twilight Sparkle, her friends, and Sunset Shimmer. They're strong and smart – enough to ruin my plans. Twilight Sparkle has already ruined one plan of mine already." Chrysalis her fist into her palm. "I need a way to deal with them."

Adagio Dazzle rubbed her chin and smiled. "I have just the thing. From what it sounds like, there's three sides involved in this – your side, Twilight's side, and this Sunset Shimmer's side. There's three of us." Adagio gestured to her cohorts.

"Where are you going with this?"

"Unless they know more than we realize, Twilight's friends and Sunset won't recognize us." Adagio said. "So we split up, one of us to a faction. It's our M.O. Find a social circle, schmooze our way into their good graces, then work to bring them down from within. It's a great way to play up conflict, one of our food sources. And by the time they realize they've been played, it'll already be too late. And as long as we avoid being seen together, no one will be the wiser."

"It's deceptive. It's manipulative. It's two-faced. I love it! Spoken like a true Changeling." Chrysalis hooked her arm around Adagio's shoulders and pulled her closer. "Something tells me, Adagio, this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

Adagio gave Chrysalis a longing gaze. "And maybe more."

* * *

At Rarity' Boutique, Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara were sitting across the table from each other, giving each other odd stares as though they were looking at aliens on display in a pen. They had been enemies for a long time, and for Rarity to just … take up Diamond Tiara like she did was an idea which took some adjusting.

Sweetie Belle took a sip from the coffee which had been brewed for them. For both of them, it was their first experience with drinking coffee.

"So this is what coffee tastes like ..." Sweetie Belle took a look at her cup.

"Weird, right?" Diamond Tiara said, trying to break the ice.

Sweetie Belle nodded. Which Diamond Tiara thought frustrating – she was trying to get Sweetie Belle to engage her in a conversation. The awkward silence was only broken more by the sound of Rarity footsteps emerging from the doorway.

"Girls ..." Rarity said, looking so elegant in her white dress. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to go outside for awhile. I'm expecting some … unwanted company, and I don't want you to see me lose my temper."

The girls nodded and pushed their chairs out and stepping out the door. Rarity let out a sigh. She didn't want kick them out, but she also didn't want them to see her lose her temper and lash out against Silver Lens. But she was about to be glad she did.

Rarity was expecting Silver Lens to come in, sit them both down, and start asking questions in an attempt to tack a mental sickness onto her.

She was _not_ expecting Silver Lens to come bursting through the door, ragged and out of breath and making a grab for the nearest counter to support her weight.

"Rarity … I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen -"

Before Rarity could get a chance to figure just what Silver Lens was babbling about, Shining Armor and two Royal Guards barged into the room. Shining Armor pushed Silver Lens away, knocking her to the ground, and marched up to Rarity. "All right, you milk-filled monster, where is she!?"

With a shocked, slackened jaw, Rarity looked at Silver Lens, crawling and on her hands and knees before turning her gaze up to Shining Armor. Shining Armor seemed 1.5 times larger than normal. She couldn't believe someone who would treat a woman like he did Silver Lens was someone Twilight Sparkle loved and admired.

"I'm afraid I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about, darling." Rarity told him, crossing her arms. He might be bigger, he might have been a Captain of the Royal Guard, but Rarity would not be intimidated by someone who roughhoused a woman so.

"Where's Twiley!?" Shining Armor bellowed. "She's disappeared. No one's seen her, and you're our best suspect!"

Rarity sputtered and coughed. "Wha – how am I your best suspect?"

"Ten years ago, during the incident with the Slime, you kidnapped Twiley while she was supposed to be recovering." Shining Armor said. "You kidnapped her and took her to the cave where you hiding out. So what we've figured out is that, with you taking heat for what you did to Applejack, you kidnapped Twilight for leverage."

Rarity blinked, trying to process the level of ignorance and stupidity it took for Shining Armor to come up with this absurd theory.

"First." Rarity said. "I have no idea where Twilight is. Second, strained my relationships may be, Twilight Sparkle is still one of my best friends and I stand nothing to gain from kidnapping her. Third, your theory is a load of crock meant to justify your irrational desire to harass me because you haven't forgiven my actions from the past. There are plenty of others who have more to gain from kidnapping Twilight than I do – Discord, Sunset Shimmer, The Flim Flam Brothers – and yet you decide the prime suspect is me!? I don't think so! You've decided to convict me on evidence so flimsy you can't even _pretend_ to call it "circumstantial!""

Shining Armor and Rarity stared each other down. Shining Armor, in his enraged, big-brother protective state, was too angry to process Rarity's logic and decided he wasn't going to put up with Rarity's defiance. He snapped his fingers. "Cuff her."

"What? Let go of me!"

The two guards approached Rarity. One of them grabbed her by the arms while the other lifted up her leg and slapped a golden brace embedded with gems on Rarity's ankle.

"This bracelet is enchanted." Shining Armor said. "It has tracking spell cast on it so we can know where you are. Go outside of Ponyville, and it'll send an alert and you'll have guards on you in minutes. Silver Lens will keep an eye on you and make progress reports. Come on." Shining Armor snapped his fingers and led his guards to the door.

Rarity, shaken and taken aback, collapsed onto a nearby chair. She held a hand to her forehead before lifting her head up. "Shining Armor?"

Shining Armor, with some reluctant, stopped and turned around.

"I won't forgive you for this. As soon as someone finds her, I'll tell Twilight Sparkle everything."

"Hmph." Shining Armor left with his guards.

Rarity examined the tracking bracelet on her leg. After doing so, she got up from her chair and offered a hand to Silver Lens. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah ..." Silver Lens said. Rarity helped her to stand up. "Rarity, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for -"

Rarity held out her hand. "Save it. I don't want to hear it. As far as I'm concerned, coming into my home like this … putting me under "psychological observation" … you're as guilty as Shining Armor." Rarity turned away and walked into the other room.

Silver Lens watched her go. She took off her glasses and wiped them before putting them back on.

"Well … off to an excellent start."

* * *

Out in the forest, Spike was made to sit up against a tree. He didn't know why, he just knew "Rarity" told him to, so he did. From across the way, Sonata Dusk came sashaying out from the woods.

"Hello, Spike." Sonata Dusk said to him. Spike greeted her with a nod in her direction. "I'm Sonata Dusk, and I'm going to take care of you today. Here's the plan. I'm going to take you back to Ponyville to your friends so they'll think I'm trustworthy. After that, well … I'll siphoning out their love for each other until they're so busy bickering they don't see Chrysalis coming. But not before I have a little fun with you first."

"Okay." Spike agreed, his words bland and his voice monotone.

Sonata made her way up to him, getting cozy in his personal space. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a kiss. She pulled away, putting a thumb to his cheek. With a smile, she vocalized into his ear with a stream of "aaah aaaah aaah's" and "ooh ooh ooooh's." The pendant on her neck produced green mist which trailed to the ground and swirled around Spike's legs. Spike registered her singing and gave a blissful smile as he was put under her spell. Sensing his love for her increase, the green mist rose up Sonata's legs and traveled back into her pendant. With his love filling her pendant with energy, it was no surprise to Sonata when her bust gave a bulge, stretching out and expanding to the point a button popped off and went flying.

"Aaah." Sonata closed her eyes and moaned with pleasure. She looked at her increased breast size with a proud grin. "You see that, Spike? You did that. Your love for me did that. Do you like it?"

Spike nodded.

"Let's go a step further." Sonata said with a sultry flair. She pulled him into another kiss and reached towards his pants. She was groping for the zipper when Spike pulled away, muttering something.

"Rarity … Rarity." He said.

"Oh, still in love with Rarity, huh?" Sonata chuckled. She stopped trying to undress him. "Okay." She patted him on the cheek. "We'll work up to it. Now come on, little half-ling. Let's get you home."

Leading him along like a owner walking their dog, Sonata Dusk led him out of the forest's edge before realizing she had no idea where Ponyville was.

"Spike, which way to Ponyville?"

"Um ..." Spike looked around, struggling to think while under the lingering effects of Chrysalis' spell, not to mention Sonata's own. "That way, I think."

"Good, good … who'll be up to see you come home?"

"Pinkie Pie's a good bet … she's usually up all day. She lives at Sugarcube Corner."

"Good, good ..."

With Spike providing directions, Sonata Dusk had no trouble locating Ponyville – and Sugarcube Corner. She waved her hand, glowing green with magic, which reduced the effects of her spell on Spike, granting him more autonomy. Couldn't have Twilight's friends see him as a mindless slave if she was going to earn their trust, after all. She knocked on Sugarcube's door and was greeted by Pinkie Pie.

"Yes?"

"Yes, hello!" Sonata Dusk waved at her. "I'm looking for friends of Twilight Sparkle? I have something I think belongs to her." With a wry smile, Sonata gestured to Spike.

Pinkie Pie gave a great big smile and engaged Spike in a crushing hug. "Spike! I'm so glad you're okay! We were soooo worried about you, especially after Twilight disappeared!"

"Twilight's gone?" Spike asked.

"Yeah. She disappeared right after you did. But don't worry, Shining Armor's working reeeaally hard to find her and I'm sure she'll pop up in no time! Why don't you come in? Applejack's here, and I'm sure she would be delighted to see you."

Pinkie moved to let them inside. Applejack was drinking a float, but she rose up at the sight of Spike.

"Spike!" Applejack ran up to him and gave him a hug. "You're okay!"

"Yeah." Spike rubbed the back of his head. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"We couldn't find ya, for some reason." Applejack said. "Pinkie tell you Twilight's gone, too?" Spike nodded. "We all got real worried about both of y'all, but if you're okay, then maybe Twilight is too."

"Maybe she just got lost somewhere." Sonata Dusk said with a shrug.

Applejack gave Sonata a curious gaze. "Spike, who's your friend?"

Sonata bowed. "My name's Sonata Dusk. I saw Spike in the woods and offered to help him get home."

Applejack got up from her seat and shook Sonata's hand. "Well, thank y'all kindly, Sonata Dusk. Ah don't know what we woulda done without ya." She looked at Spike. "What were y'all doin' in the forest, Spike?"

Spike scratched his head. "I don't remember."

"Ah well. The important thing is, yer safe now."

"Yeah ..." Sonata chuckled, her pendant sparkling in the light. "Safe ..."

Applejack noticed. "That's a nice pendant ya got there, Sonata."

"This?" Sonata gestured to it, cupping her fingers around the necklace to protect it. "Oh, it's nothing special … why don't we talk?" Sonata took a seat next to Applejack's empty stool. "I would just love to learn all about you_._"

* * *

In her neck of the woods, Sunset Shimmer was sitting against a tree with a sleepy Twilight Sparkle spread across her lap with Sunset's blazer on her to keep her warm. Sunset smiled to herself, basking in the afternoon sun after a day well spent on dominating Twilight. Sunset was about to nod off herself when she felt Twilight fidget.

Sunset chuckled. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead. Did you get a good nap? Hmm?" Sunset was puzzled when Twilight's answer was to raise her hand in front of Sunset's face.

It became much less puzzling when a disruptive spell burst from Twilight's hands, blowing Sunset clear and burning the tree they were on beyond the point of saving.

"You're wrong." Twilight said, getting to her knees, still a bit weak. "People do change. Discord's changed."

Sunset grimaced and took up a battle-ready stance. Fists alight with power, she hurled a fireball at Twilight. Twilight erected a forcefield which stonewalled the fireball before returning fire with a magical bolt which sent Sunset flying into a tree.

Sunset groaned as she sunk to the ground. She watched Twilight come toward her, closing in for the kill. This is why she wanted to avoid any magical confrontation with Twilight; she knew Twilight's magic had improved beyond what Sunset could match.

Standing feet away from Sunset, Twilight raised her hand over her head, ready to send out a spell which would take care of Sunset for good. Whether it was going to kill, paralyze her, or just teleport somewhere she couldn't hurt anyone, Sunset wasn't sure.

She didn't have to find out. Sunset saw a green mist creep in around the edges of the forest, which was followed by soft, melodious singing.

"And I would wait a year/and I would wait ten/because I hope to my lover's face again ..." The voice sang.

Twilight was affected by the singing, Sunset could tell. The magic gathering in Twilight's hand dissipated and she began to wobble on her feet.

Sunset saw her mysterious savior step out into the open. A punk-looking girl with her hair in pigtails. She grinned at Twilight. She put her hands on her hips, not needing any pose or posture to deliver her pitch-perfect notes.

"I'll wait by the seashore/if I have to wait ten years or more/and I will stand on the beach alone/just to see my lover coming home."

Out of nowhere, compelled by an unseen, undetectable desire, Twilight sang with her. "And I would wait a year … and I would wait ten ..."

"Because I hope to see my lover's face again." The mystery woman approached Twilight, grabbing her by the wrists the way she would for a tango.

"I'll wait by the seashore if I have to wait ten years or more …" Twilight continued, looking at the woman with half-lidded eyes.

"And I will stand on the beach alone …"

"Just to see my lover coming home."

"I'll wait a year/I'll wait ten/ I'll wait on the beach, to daylight's eeeend … because I know I'll see my lover's face agaaaain." Twilight's eyes closed and she slumped into the woman's body. The woman lowered her to the ground.

"How … did you do that?" Sunset Shimmer asked.

"I'm really good at singing people lullabies." The woman answered, offering Sunset a hand up. "Name's Aria Blaze."

"Sunset Shimmer."

"I know. I've heard about your work, Sunset." Aria paced around Sunset, the way a lion circles prey. "I'm a big fan of yours … the way you take control of people … the way you don't tolerate anything from anyone."

Sunset chuckled. "Well, what can I say? I've always had a bit of an independent streak. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well … I want to join you." Aria Blaze said. "I want to be your ally."

"My ally?" Sunset crossed her arms, thinking this too good to be true.

Aria bowed. "Your groupie. Your servant. Your apprentice. Pick your poison."

Sunset rubbed her chin. The idea of taking on an apprentice appealed to her massive ego. It would certainly show Celestia a thing or two – and Aria had used her powers to save Sunset with no apparent benefit to Aria other than just saving Sunset. "Okay, Aria Blaze. You can be my apprentice."

"Yes." Aria pumped her fist. She grinned. She had known Sunset for all of three minutes, but she got a feeling Sunset would be a great ally for her _own_ plans …

* * *

"So, Sonata, what do you like to do?" Pinkie asked as she served Sonata a shake.

"Oh, well … I'm really into singing." Sonata took a sip from the drink. "What about you two? Anything you like to do?"

"I love making people smile!" Pinkie put her hands together. "And Applejack's super into farming."

Applejack chuckled. "Wut can I say? Born to farmers, raised a farmer, and if I ever have kids, they'll farm too." Applejack took a closer look at Sonata and frowned.

"Something wrong?"

"Nuthin' … just … Ah see y'all got a large bust, there. It's, um … sounds a mite bit crazy, but Ah have an issue with large busts."

Sonata chuckled. She reached over and patted Applejack on the shoulder. "Oh, don't worry, Applejack. I'm sure you've just got a delayed growth spurt. Someday, you'll have a large bust too!"

"Uh-huh. Yeah, sure." Applejack glanced sideways away from Sonata. Sonata didn't know what Applejack was referring to. She wasn't here for the events of the last few days. It was a miracle Fluttershy hit on idea of going to see Zecora, and Zecora diagnosed it as Poison Joke, giving Applejack some of the cure for the Poison Joke.

"Oh, make sure to drink plenty of milk, too! I've been told that helps." Sonata said. She was trying to be helpful- she had no idea this suggestion would set Applejack off.

"Milk … milk, milk, _milk_." Applejack slammed her cup on the ground. "That's all anyone ever talks about round here nowadays." She stormed out the door.

Sonata put her fingers to her lips. "Oh my. Was it something I said?"

"Er, yeah." Pinkie said, wincing a bit. "She's had a rough couple of days. Don't take it personally."

"Hmm." Sonata turned to Spike. Spike took a sip from his drink and turned to Sonata.

"Thanks for bringing me back home, Sonata. I'm not sure what I would have done without you."

"Don't worry about it! It was nothing." Sonata smirked.

"And, uh … you're ..." Spike's voice gave way to mumbling.

"I'm sorry?"

"You're kind of cute." Spike said out loud, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"Aww." Sonata put her hands over her chest. Her heart melted at Spike's compliment. Sonata was a seductress by nature, but something about Spike's shy manner touched her in a way she wasn't used to. "I think you're cute, too, Spike." Sonata took a swig from the float Pinkie gave her and got up. "Okay. I'll see you around. I promised some friends of mine I'd meet them soon. Bye!" Sonata waved and went out the door.

"Bye!" Pinkie waved back. She looked to Spike. "She seems nice."

"Yeah ..."

"Oooh." Pinkie flashed a naughty smirk. "I see where this is going. You like her, don't you?"

"What? No! My heart belongs to Rarity." Spike beat his chest to prove his point. He gazed at the door where Sonata had been moments prior. "Although … she did save me … and she _is_ really cute."

* * *

Sonata Dusk hurried back to the forest where she met Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze. All three of them were sporting enhanced busts, full of the love they had inspired for themselves while out. They discussed their plans and agreed to meet up back here where they could exchange the love with each other.

"Hey." Sonata huffed and puffed, resting her hands on her knees. "Sorry I'm late. Those girls just wanted to talk FOREVER."

"It's fine, it's fine." Adagio assured her. "I had quite a bit of fun with Trixie while you were gone. Who do you get your love from, Aria?"

"Twilight Sparkle. You know, Chrysalis made her sound like such a big deal, but once I got close enough to her, she was all over me."

"And you, Sonata?"

"Spike." Sonata moaned at his name. "His love was good."

"Excellent." Adagio tapped her fingers together. "I can't wait to try it. Hold hands, everyone." Adagio reached out and the three of them held hands together in a triangle. They vocalized, green mist flying out from their necklaces and encircling the three of them.

This was what they did. How they functioned. They gathered the love they could inspire with their singing and stored in their pendants – or their breasts – and let it out together in a communal feeding. Each member contributed to the pot, to which they all ate from.

"Oooh." Adagio moaned. "Ooh, that's good." Adagio's hand made its way up Sonata's arm and to her bust. As a sign of their close, open relationship with each other, the three of them had no trouble reaching over and groping each other and other intimate signs of affection.

"Mmm." Sonata reached over and put a palm to Adagio's chest. Adagio let out a sharp moan before reaching over to Aria, who drew away from her touch.

"Aria?" Adagio asked. "Aria, you're not letting me touch you. What's wrong?"

Aria remained silent. She looked away.

"Aria Blaze." Adagio said. "This is supposed to be community feeding. You can't keep it all for yourself. That's selfish."

Aria sighed. "I'm just not in the mood today, Adagio." She shook her head and moved closer. "Fine. Just get it over with."

Adagio and Sonata put their hands on Aria's chest, but Adagio continued to frown. "I'm worried about you, Aria."

"It's fine. It's nothing." Aria insisted.

Soon after this exchange, the green mist disappeared – as did their large busts, emptied of the love which they had been storing. Adagio congratulated her girls on a job well down and dismissed them, sending them back to their respective "factions" before said factions got suspicious.

Adagio herself returned to Chrysalis, whose nose was buried into the book in her efforts to find another creature to summon. Adagio put a hand on her hip and cleared her throat. "Ah-erm."

"Oh." Chrysalis looked away from the book to acknowledge her. "You're back. Did you get a good meal?" She went right back to nosing the book.

"I did." Adagio said. She walked towards Chrysalis, shaking her hips in an unsuccessful attempt to catch Chrysalis' eye. "You know, Chrysalis, it's good we decided to team up."

"Yes, yes." Chrysalis' attention was still on the book.

"We're a lot alike, you and I. We both feed on love. We both crave power and demand attention. And we're both drop-dead gorgeous." Adagio struck a pose, running her hands through her hair.

"Yes." Chrysalis took notice of the compliment.

"Oh, Chrysalis ..."

Demonstrating the levels of her sheer boldness and audacity, Adagio looped her arm around Chrysalis' neck and jerked so Chrysalis would face.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to become a shut-in with books? Honestly, have you learned nothing from Twilight?" Adagio reached up and closed the book before pushing it out of Chrysalis' hand. Before Chrysalis had a chance to feel indignant, Adagio forced a deep kiss on her. Chrysalis received Adagio's affection with open arms, digging her hands into Adagio's back and letting Adagio lower them to the ground.

Bushes rustled around them as Trixie appeared. "Chrysalis? The Great and Powerful Trixie ..." Trixie trailed off as she saw what Chrysalis and Adagio were up to. "Can wait for you to finish." Trixie sank into the bushes, meaning to give them their space. But something about their sultry, yet graceful motions attracted her. So she stayed and watched as the two of them ravished each other.

* * *

Rarity curled up at her dining room table, hands on her head as she took in her situation. Night was falling on Ponyville and she was alone at the house. Silver Lens had taken Rainbow Dash away for some reason and Rarity decided not to go with them. She didn't trust Silver Lens.

Right now, she didn't trust anyone but Rainbow Dash.

The emptiness of the house getting to her, Rarity sighed. She sat up and looked away. Feeling the need to relieve her stress somehow, she got up and walked towards the fridge. She opened the door and pulled out a milk carton, behind which were several bottles labeled "White Poison." Rarity shook her head at the sight. Ignoring them, she set the milk carton sideways on the table. She got out a butcher's knife from her drawer.

Holding the knife in both hands, Rarity plunged it into the side of the carton. This – this thing – this milk was the cause of all her problems. She experienced a much-anticipated sense of catharsis as she mutilated the half-gallon container. The pop it made when the knife cut through it, the drops of the milk leaking out from the cuts … seeping down the side of the table and to the floor like the blood of an animal freshly killed by its predator.

"Rarity?"

Rarity turned to see Diamond Tiara in the doorway. She didn't realize she had returned.

"What are you doing?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"I ..." Rarity stuttered. She looked at the knife, soaked with milk and looked down the mess she made on the table. Her grip on the handle getting shaky, Rarity stabbed the knife into the table before she dropped it on her foot. "I don't know."

"Is this another one of those "nice people" things that I don't understand?"

Rarity chuckled. "No. Oh, if only it were something that simple ..."

There was a gentle knock at the door. Rarity looked to see Silver Lens standing there, looking more than a bit concerned.

Silver Lens cleared her throat. "May I come in?"

"Do I have a choice?" Rarity's voice was a snarl, more animal than human and full of fury.

"There's always a choice." Silver Lens tried to say with a smile, but it faltered.

"No." Rarity grabbed the handle of the knife. "There isn't. Not for me."

"Hmm. Patient shows signs of pessimism and nihilism ..." Silver Lens said just loud enough for Rarity to hear – to get a response out of her. See what she did.

Rarity did nothing more than shoot Silver Lens a murderous glare. She let go of the knife and walked towards the door. "Where's Rainbow Dash?"

"Hi!" Rainbow Dash appeared next to Silver Lens. "I was waiting for Silver Lens to say it was safe to come in. I heard a weird popping noise. Is everything okay?" Rainbow Dash saw the cut-apart milk carton. "Ooh."

"Yes, everything's fine." Rarity said in direct contrast to the presence of a butchered milk carton and soaked knife on the table. No one could tell whether she was lying, in denial, or trying to communicate in secret with Rainbow Dash using code words only the two of them knew.

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash chuckled uneasily, slipping into the room. "Diamond, why don't you help me clean this up?"

"Okay ..."

As Rainbow Dash moved to get a washcloth, Rarity couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her. "You've been gone a long time, Rainbow Dash."

"What can I say?" Rainbow Dash picked up the milk carton and tossed it into the trash. "Silver Lens showed me a few things."

"Did she now?" Rarity crossed her arms and glared. Silver Lens stood there, unmoving and nervous.

"Pardon me." Rarity moved past Silver Lens. "I need some air." The bracelet only kept her from leaving Ponyville, after all. There was nothing saying she couldn't leave her own house, despite how much it felt as though something or someone was saying those exact words.

Seeing Rarity take a knife to a milk carton, of all things, and stab it until it was no longer functional, Silver Lens began to re-evaluate her stance of Rarity …

_I was wrong! She IS dangerous!_

Pushing Rarity from her mind, Silver Lens looked at Diamond Tiara and noticed how downbeat she was. Taking up a chair at the table, Silver Lens motioned for Diamond Tiara to sit next to her.

"Diamond Tiara, what's wrong? You look upset. Care to talk to me about it?"

Diamond Tiara made an uncertain noise.

"It's okay, Diamond Tiara. I'm a counselor."

Diamond Tiara hesitated for several minutes before agreeing. "Okay." She sat next to Silver Lens.

Silver Lens took Diamond Tiara's hand and gave a comforting, firm grip. "Now, tell me what's upsetting you."

* * *

Rarity wandered through the dark, empty streets of Ponyville. Something was pressing on her mind. Gnawing at her.

Why was Rainbow Dash gone so long? What could Silver Lens have shown her which convinced Rainbow Dash to stay out as long as she did?

Rarity froze. A terrible possibility opened up in her mind. She didn't think it was possible, and if she was in a better frame, she might realize how ridiculous it sounded. But after everything which had been going between Suri coming to Ponyville, Twilight disappearing and her being put on parole, anything seemed possible.

She wondered … if Rainbow Dash had cheated on her with Silver Lens. If it was true, then there was no one left in the world who Rarity could trust. Were the "few things" Silver Lens shown something to do with Silver Lens' chest?

Why, though? Why would she DO such a thing? Was Rarity not good enough to her? Not kind enough? Did she make Rainbow Dash drink too much of her milk and Rainbow had become sick of it? Or did she not give Rainbow enough, and this was Rainbow Dash's way of rebelling?

"Oh, darling ..." Rarity placed a hand over her face. "Tell me, what did I do to deserve this? What did I do?"

"I dunno."

Rarity whipped around. "Sonata Dusk."

"Rarity." Sonata Dusk said, walking towards her with an arrogant, haughty stride.

"Hmm. Yes, well, thank you for saving Spike, but what are you doing here?"

"Me?" Sonata Dusk gestured to herself. "I came to see you."

Rarity narrowed her eyes. "Why?" Rarity didn't take her eyes off Sonata when Sonata began to walk around her in circles.

"Oh, no reason." Being an expert on the subject Rarity could tell Sonata was lying and not even trying to hide it. "I just heard a teensy little rumor about you I'm dying to know if it's true or not ..."

"And what … rumor would that be?" Rarity's voice was strained, attempting not to show her frustration with Sonata's coyness.

Sonata, the brazen little girl, reached out and groped Rarity's breast. "So it is true! You do have milk in your breasts!"

Rarity smacked Sonata's hand away and pointed a finger. "Don't test me, Sonata Dusk. I'm not in a good mood and I will gladly put you in your place if the situation calls for it."

"Oh, you don't want to be angry at me, Rarity."

Rarity scoffed and laughed. "And how is that? You put your hands on my breast – on my person, without my permission or consent. I'd say I'm well within my rights to be angry at you!"

"You know who you should be angry at? You should be angry at Applejack. She told me."

"Apple … jack?" Rarity's voice broke, her heart was devastated. Hadn't they patched things up? Talked things out? Weren't they making progress on repairing their relationship?

"Yup. She told me about the milk and how did you all kinds of naughty, filthy things with it." Sonata needled the point in.

Rarity turned away, holding her hands to her forehead like it would push this unpleasant reality away. "But … why? Applejack, weren't we getting along? Weren't we … healing?"

Seeing Rarity turned away from her, Sonata saw her chance. Waving her hands, she sung under her breath. The green mist formed around their feet. The idea being it would increase Rarity's anger and sense of betrayal and cause her to hate Applejack more, feeding Sonata with the conflict.

Something unexpected happen. Sonata and Rarity both felt sharp pains in their heads. They cried out in pain and grasped their heads. To Rarity, it felt like something had been trying to get inside her head and been repelled back with force. To Sonata, it felt like she had slammed into an iron wall.

"Are you ..." Rarity stammered, turning back to face Sonata. Sonata whimpered and stepped away. Sonata didn't know Rarity made such a complete 180 from the helpless wanderer she was when Sonata found her, but she did. Now, with a hunched posture and bloodshot eyes, Rarity looked like a dangerous madwoman ready to strike.

"Are you trying to get into my head?"

"Uh … No!" Sonata tried to lie her way out.

"Hmm." Rarity must have felt forgiving, because she didn't call Sonata out this time. "Good. Because I assure you, Sonata Dusk, trying to get into my head would be a grave mistake … now, I'm going to give Applejack a piece of my mind." Rarity stomped off into the darkness of the night.

As she was left alone with her green mist, Sonata wondered how Rarity resisted her spell. How her mind deflected the attempts of Sonata's magic to infiltrate it.

"How?" Sonata wondered. She didn't know – Rarity didn't know. But it had something to do with Rarity's experience with the Pipe Slime. It had given her a sort of acquired immunization to magic which affected her mind.

* * *

Meanwhile, Applejack was doing some late-night tidying up on the farm. She was unaware, across town, an angry Rarity was making a beeline towards her.

She was carrying an empty bucket of feed back to the barn when a strange sight caught her eye. There was a woman who had features of a bee going around, sticking her fingers into the flowers which grew around the outskirts of the farm.

"Uh … hey?" Applejack called for her attention.

"Mmm?" The woman turned to her.

"Could Ah, uh, ask wut yer doin' there on mah farm?"

"I am, mmm, harvesting the pollen of the flowers. I, mmm, hope this is not a source of distress for you."

"Uh, no." Applejack said.

"I will take what I can from these flowers and be on my way." The bee-woman said.

"Uh … all right, I guess." Applejack was still a bit befuddled. But she knew there were plenty of things in Equestria she hadn't seen. This bee-woman didn't appear to be hurting anyone and her family wasn't going to use the pollen for anything, so she let her be.

Applejack continued with the bucket, meaning to put it away in the house until it was needed again. She heard something rustle in the grass. She looked over her shoulder, but the bee-woman was gone.

"Hmm." Applejack exercised caution, walking to her house at a slower pace. Something was out here, she could feel it.

She could also feel when a slimy tail shot out from the night air and coiled around her waist, binding her arms. She dropped her bucket and was lifted up into the air.

"What – hey! Let go of me!"

"Mmm, mmm, mm! What do we have here?"

"What?" Applejack was surprised at the face of her attacker. "Hey, aren't you that model from Canterlot?"

"I aaam!" Fluer-De-Lis drawled. "Rarity kept me from finishing her induction once already. Sooo … I decided to come here and do it to her friends instead!"

"Induction?" Applejack struggled in Fluer's coils, trying to squirm her way out from the appendage. But it was strong. It held together a molecular cohesion which refused to break, no matter how hard Applejack tried. Like trying to punch through jell-o.

"Quit sssstruggling!" Fluer-de-lis said, lifting Applejack up. "You're not gonna manage anything but tire yourself out." Fluer-de-lis lifted her dress and connected her tendril to her breast.

"No." When she saw Fluer-de-lis lift her tendril, Applejack's resistance faded as a trauma relived itself inside her mind. The incident with the Pipe Slime, with Rarity … where she was pumped so full … she couldn't bear to live through it again. "Please, stop! I'm beggin' ya, please. Please, don'- MMFP!" Applejack's cries were silenced when Fluer-de-lis stuck the tendril into her mouth. As per the normal routine, goo flowed through the slimy tube from from Fluer's tendril.

Fluer-de-lis popped the tendril out from Applejack's mouth, ooze dripping down her cheeks. Fluer brought her face down to Applejack's. "What do you say, Applejack? Had enough?"

"I've had too much already, ya varmint!"

"Oooh ..." Fluer made a noise of disappointment. "Not the answer I was hoping for." Fluer wrapped her tendrils around Applejack in a great big hug and lifted Applejack higher.

"Hey … hey! Wut are ya doin'-" Applejack protested as Fluer the tentacle down again. Applejack resumed her attempts at struggling, but Fluer's tentacles held her too tight. She was helpless to do anything as the goo poured into her. Fluer breathed and moaned.

Applejack swallowed the goo - it was either swallow or suffocate. Given the choice, she was going to swallow. As she swallowed, Applejack's body lost tension and began to relax. She closed her eyes and opened them again, her eyes turning glassy and unfocused.

Seeing the change in her eyes, Fluer-de-lis smiled. She pulled her breast out of Applejack's reach. "What about now?"

Applejack blinked, trying to focus. "Mm …"

"Hmm?" Fluer-de-lis tilted her head. "I can't hear you."

"Mm-more." Applejack moaned, breathing heavily. "I want more."

"Now what's what I wanted to hear."

Fluer-de-lis both curled her tendrils into Applejack's mouth, pouring more of the goo.

Fluer-de-lis separated Applejack from the source of her pleasure, teasing her a little more. With Applejack hooked, Fluer-de-lis relaxed the grip of her tentacles. "What do you think, Applejack? Good stuff, right?"

Applejack panted and moaned, desperate to have more. She wasn't done. She would never be done. She wanted more - she needed MORE!

Fluer-de-lis cooed, watching her helpless little addict submit to the the tentacles.

"Mmmm ..." Fluer moaned, enjoying the feeling of dominating Applejack, watching Applejack's throat form a lump.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Fluer-de-lis was blasted by an intense powerful spell. It blew her back some distance, dropping Applejack to the ground. Fluer-de-lis growled at Rarity.

Rarity was unafraid and hurled spell after spell at Fluer, pushing and throwing her back. Fluer-de-lis raised her arms to block the incoming barrage, but it was still too much for her. Rarity cast her spell and ripped chunks of the earth out from the soil and tossed them at Fluer, caking her with dirt and conniving her to retreat. She turned around and slithered away into the night. Rarity let her go, more concerned with her friend.

"Applejack!" Rarity cried out, rushing to her friend. Applejack was oblivious to her, too busy reaching for a tentacle which wasn't there. Rarity collapsed next to her, forgetting about the things Sonata said. "Applejack … oh, Applejack, I'm so sorry." Ignoring Applejack's indecency, Rarity pulled her into a hug and cradled her body. Tears rolled down Rarity's cheeks, eventually dripping onto Applejack's shoulders. "If I could have been here sooner … I could have fought her off. I'm sorry, Applejack. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry ..."

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Acids and Bases"**

**In my original plan, Twilight would have pieced together that Applejack's cider issue was Poison Joke-induced, and then they would have seen Zecora. But once I got around to writing this chapter, the parts and pieces had moved so to make that plan unfeasible.**

**And I'm sorry to do this, but I trimmed down on the explicit content in this chapter, in addition to editing on previous chapters. After all the fuss the last chapter caused, I wasn't really willing to risk it. Scenes of lactation should be either removed, alluded to instead of described in detail, or replaced with tentacles and goo. br You can, however, still view the original "uncut" version of this chapter on Fimfiction. They're more tolerant of this sort of thing.  
**

**(I left the scene with Twilight shoving her head into Sunset's chest and Sonata violating Rarity's privacy because those didn't seem as bad.)**


	6. Caustic

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 6**

**Caustic**

* * *

Rarity cradled her arms around Applejack, holding her tenderly for a brief moment. Grunting and heaving, Rarity hefted Applejack onto her shoulder so she should carry Applejack away. Rarity walked in the direction of the library – even if Twilight wasn't home, Rarity figured it was a better place to heal Applejack than in her barn.

"Mmm ..." Applejack groaned, scrunching her eyes as Rarity moved. "R-Rarity? What's going on?"

"You were attacked by Fluer-de-lis." Rarity answered. "I drove her off, but … oh, Applejack, I'm so sorry I couldn't have been sooner."

"It's okay. It's not … your fault."

Rarity halted.

"I'm very glad to hear you say that, Applejack. Thank you."

Applejack let out a grunt and stretched her head up. "Rarity … I'm thirsty."

This worried Rarity, but she continued walking. "We can get you some water at Twilight's house."

Applejack grunted in protest. "Rarity … I want milk."

"You can't have milk right now."

"Oh, come on, Rarity." Applejack felt around Rarity's body, before reaching over and clutching Rarity's breast in her hand. "I KNOW y'all have got some in your breasts ..."

"Applejack, please, control yourself!"

"I'm sorry … but … I want it so bad." Applejack rubbed and squeezed Rarity's breast, trying to tease the milk out. "Just a little bit?"

"The answer is no!" Rarity insisted. "My milk is reserved for Rainbow Dash. And on occasion when I'm feeling particularly kinky or generous, Coco Pommel. Either way, the point remains, Applejack, that you cannot have any!"

"Please ..." Applejack shuddered. "Please ..."

Rarity sighed. It distressed to hear her friend brought to such a sorry state, begging for milk, but she knew giving Applejack so much as a drop was the worst thing she could do right now. "No. Just … just try to hang on until we get to the library, and then if you still want it, and I mean _really_ want it, I'll give some to you then. How does that sound?"

Applejack grunted, but accepted. "Okay ..."

"Excellent … Applejack? Please take your hand off my breast."

"Sorry ..."

* * *

Rarity managed to get her way to Ponyville, though it took her some time. She needed to get Applejack somewhere she could recover, but wasn't willing to go knocking on strangers' house. If a strange woman showed up, knocking on her door in the middle of the night with an half-conscious woman on her back, well, Rarity might have reservations about letting her into her house. So alone she traveled.

"Ugh ..." Rarity groaned. Having to carry Applejack all this way was beginning to take a toll on her. Another thing she could have done was drag Applejack by the wrists, thus sparing herself from the need to bear Applejack's weight on her back, but what if someone saw them? It would be easy to mistake as though Rarity was dragging Applejack somewhere against her will, or worse. Especially given recent arguments they had.

Rarity managed to get within sight of the library, but it was far as she was going to go. Her will left her.

"Applejack … I'm sorry. I can't go on."

Rarity collapsed to her knees, throwing Applejack off her back and sending her rolling onto the ground. Rarity put her hands on the ground to steady herself.

"Y'all could have taken a break, you know ..." Applejack mumbled. "Didn't have to try to carry me all the while in one sitting ..."

"And give you a chance to slip away and go after Fluer-de-lis or someone to feed you milk? I think not." Rarity breathed heavily. "Help. We need help."

_Help._ It was a funny word. Rarity didn't think it was a naughty word or anything, but for some reason, saying it now left a bad impression on her tongue.

"HELP!" Rarity screamed, waving her arm around. "Help, somebody, anybody! We need some help over here!"

Rarity fell forward, too weak to even stand on her knees. She looked up at the library and felt as though it was mocking her. She had gotten so close, yet she was still so far. If she could have gotten a few more steps, she might have made it.

Rarity experienced a brief surge of hope as the light in the window of the library came on. She heard the door creak open and saw someone coming out towards.

Spike. It was Spike.

"Rarity?" Spike asked as he ran towards them, appropriately panicked. "Are you okay? What happened to you two?"

"Applejack ..." Rarity pointed to Applejack, who was already beginning to crawl away in the hopes of getting her tongue satisfied with white poison. If not from Rarity, then from someone. "She needs more help than I do. Keep … keep her away from me."

Rarity realized how weird her words must sound to someone who lacked the proper context for them.

"The milk ..." Rarity said. "Don't let her drink .. the milk."

Spike bent down and did his best to support Rarity and help her up. "I know. Come on. Let's get you up."

Rarity reacted quickly and badly to this and pushed him off. "Forget … about me. Help her!" Rarity let out a groan and collapsed.

"Okay, okay." Spike waved his hands. He looked at Applejack and was thankful she could only crawl. "I'll get her somewhere safe. Lock her up for her own good, and then I'll go get our friends and some extra help, okay? I'll be right back for you, I promise."

"Thank you ..." The last thing Rarity could see was Applejack mustering the strength to stand up on her own two legs, with Spike coming up and grabbing her from behind, wrapping his arms around Applejack's waist. Spike was successful in subduing her, and the last detail Rarity could make out was Spike dragging Applejack by the wrists to the library, before her eyelids got too heavy for her to keep open.

The next thing Rarity knew, there was some warm, flavorless liquid was being poured down her mouth, with the edge of a cup pressed against her lips. She wanted to bolt upright and throttle the offender doing this, thinking they were feeding her fresh white poison from a cup, but she was still too weak. After a minute, she realized it was only warm water.

"There you go ..." Rarity heard someone say. "That should help." Rarity could hear footsteps moving away from her.

Rarity soon felt a hand on her cheek. "Get better soon, Rarity." Rainbow Dash. It was Rainbow Dash speaking, and Rainbow Dash who had a hand on her cheek. "You did good last night …"

"Guhmm?" Rarity had meant to say something a little more coherent than "Guhmm?" but she was still tired.

"Hey." Rainbow Dash shouted. "Hey, guys, she's waking up!"

"Is she?"

Rarity opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was how painfully bright all the lights in the room were. It was if they were trying to burn her eyes. The second thing she noticed was Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie hovering over her.

"H ..." Rarity muttered. "Hello."

"Oh!" Fluttershy put her hands on her chest after refraining from having an attack of some kind. "I'm so glad you're okay! You had me and the girls awfully worried there for a minute."

"How ..." Rarity's functions were returning to her, though everyone knew what she meant.

"How did you get here, you mean?" Pinkie Pie said. "Well, it's simple, really! Spike found you exhausted by the library and then he dragged Applejack inside and made sure she couldn't escape, and then he came and got us and we all helped carry you inside! And Fluttershy has been nursing you ever since!"

Rarity's eyes widened.

"Not that kind of nursing!" Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash shouted in unison, knowing exactly where Rarity's mind had went.

"She means nursing you to health." Rainbow Dash said. Rainbow Dash rubbed her hand on Rarity's cheek.

Rarity was silent. She raised her own hand and put it over Rainbow Dash's, guiding Dash's hand as it continued to rub her cheek fondly.

"Applejack." Rarity said. She bolted up, tossing the blanket which had been draped over off. "Where's Applejack?"

"She's upstairs, resting." Fluttershy said. "Spike is watching her right now. You can just relax."

"Oh. Okay." Rarity only now noticed they had set her down on Twilight's couch. "I'm going to go see her."

"Okay." Fluttershy said.

Rarity tossed the blanket off and went up the stairs. She hesitated before entering the room. Was she sure she could bear to see Applejack in her current state? Deciding she to had risk it, Rarity knocked on the door to warn Spike, then entered.

"Hey." Spike said. He was sitting on a chair by the bed, where Applejack lay.

"Hello, Spike, darling." Rarity said. She looked to Applejack. "Is there a spare chair?"

"Yeah, sure." Spike pulled up a chair next to him. "Knock yourself out. Not … literally, of course."

Rarity chuckled at Spike's awkwardness and took the seat. Rarity placed her hands together. "How are you feeling, Applejack?"

"Better." Applejack said. "But … I still want some breast milk. Some nice, warm-"

"Yes, yes, very nice." Rarity said, cutting Applejack off before she could go on. "Listen, Applejack, I want to apologize for something. Last night … someone approached me. They told you had been saying awful things about me, even though I thought we had made up. And I … I believed them. When I came to your farm last night, it wasn't because I knew Fluer-de-lis was there. It was to confront you. But after all that happened, with Fluer-de-lis there, I should have known … you would never say those kinds of things, or you would at least have the gall to say them to my face. So for that … for believing this person … I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

Applejack rolled over to face Rarity. "Well … it was a good thing you did believe them, or y'all might not have been there to save me last night."

Rarity made a nervous smile.

"Ugh." Applejack groaned and clutched at her stomach. "I still want it, though … I want it so badly."

"Well, I'm sorry, Applejack, but you can't have any." Rarity snapped. She would remain firm on this. As long as she was on the watch, Applejack would not get a drop of milk. Rarity stood up and turned to Spike. "Spike, whatever you do, make sure she does not get any milk."

Spike nodded. "I understand. Hey, do you think giving her some normal milk would help?"

Rarity rubbed her chin. "I hadn't thought of that. On one hand, it might help her with her cravings … on the other hand, it could make things worse. Or it could not do anything. Best not to risk it, I think."

"Okay." Spike looked at Applejack. "How long do you think this will last?"

"Honestly, Spike, I don't know." Rarity said. "Recovery from … the slime infection can vary on a number of things. The length of time of exposure, the amount of milk consumed … the strength of the individual. For some, simply going cold turkey will help. Others require external aid." Rarity looked at Applejack. "All we can do is make sure she doesn't get any milk and hope for the best."

Rarity left and walked down the stairs. She returned to the couch and wrapped herself up in the blanket. She raised her eyebrows when Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy proceeded to crowd her.

"Um, Rarity … we've been meaning to ask ..." Fluttershy said.

"Rarity, what happened last night?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Rarity was about to answer when the front door slammed open.

"Rarity!" Shining Armor, flanked by Silver Lens – as Rarity liked to think of her, Shining Armor's crony – marched into the room. "What did you do?"

"What- what do you mean, what did I do?" Rarity pulled the blanket up over herself, as if it would defend her from Shining Armor's accusation.

"I heard about what happened last night." Shining Armor said. "Word travels fast. What did you do to Applejack?"

"What did I do to Applejack? I saved her! I rescued her! I saved her from Fluer-de-lis!" Rarity stood up, defiant and eager to challenge Shining Armor.

"Fluer-de-lis?" Shining Armor asked.

"Yes! Fluer-de-lis!' Rarity said. "Fancypants' wife? Infected with the slime? Oh, for goodness' sake, Shining Armor, does anybody tell you anything?"

Shining Armor didn't give her the dignity of a response.

Rarity paused. She began to laugh. "No. No, of course they don't. You're the Captain of the Royal Guard! Celestia forbid it if some Guard should lose his job because he told you something you didn't want to hear, because it didn't match with your presupposed, jumped-to own conclusion of events!"

"If you're trying to imply my men don't report accurate information to me because they're afraid of me demoting them for telling me something which doesn't match my own views-"

"I'm not implying it; I'm telling it to your big, fat, presumptive FACE!"

Shining Armor grimaced.

Fluttershy threw herself between them before they came to blows. "Um, all right, everyone. That's enough. Why don't we all just separate and take a deep breath before someone says something they'll regret?"

"Someone's already said something they'll regret." Shining Armor snarled.

"Yes, yes, you have." Rarity countered. "I, on the other hand, don't think I've said enough, but I'll leave you be. We wouldn't to make a mess of Twilight's home, would we?" Rarity tossed the blanket off again and stomped out the door.

"You ..." Rainbow Dash raised a fist and prepared to strike Shining Armor. Pinkie Pie stopped her, grabbing Rainbow Dash's arm. Pinkie shook her head, and Rainbow Dash, looking at Fluttershy, lowered her fist.

Rarity closed the door to the library, her hands lingering on the knob. Her eyes got watery. She walked to the side of the door and sat on the grass, using a hand to balance herself as she curled up. She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her head into her arms, crying softly. After everything she had done, everything she had been through … some, Shining Armor first and foremost among them, still saw fit to call her a monster.

Rarity didn't raise her head from her arms. If she did, she might have noticed something suspicious about the pair of footsteps which walked past her and opened the door, going inside and closing the door behind them.

Everyone inside was surprised to see Rarity back inside the library, so soon after her and Shining Armor's argument.

"Uh … hi." Shining Armor said.

"Hello, darlings." Rarity put her hands together, smiling pleasantly. "Where is dear Applejack?"

"She's still upstairs with Spike taking care of her, just like the last time you asked." Pinkie Pie answered.

"Oh, good. I think I'll relieve Spike and give him a break, hmm?" Rarity went up the stairs. The girls could a conversation occur between her and Spike, and Spike came down.

" … Wait a minute." Shining Armor said. "Rarity already asked us where Applejack was ..."

Pinkie Pie was having the same thought. "And it's not like we're going to move her the way she is right now!"

"So why did she feel the need to ask again?" Shining Armor said.

"I'll go talk to her. See what's up." Rainbow Dash went up the stairs. Her hand on the safety rail, Rainbow Dash's steps slowed to a halt when she heard muttering from the other side of the door.

"Yes, that's it … "

Rainbow Dash didn't like the sound of it. It sounded the same as when Rarity got to feeding her. Rainbow Dash barged into the room, and what she saw shocked and horrified her.

Rarity was holding Applejack up, arms around Applejack's back, while Applejack's mouth was placed on Rarity's finger, suckling it to her heart's delight.

"Drink as much as you like." Rarity said.

"Rarity? What the Pony Hell are you doing?" Rainbow Dash was hurt and betrayed on two fronts. First, Rarity had said they needed to avoid feeding Applejack any milk. Second, Rarity always promised Rainbow Dash that her milk was reserved for Dash (pity sex with Coco Pommel notwithstanding).

Confused, Rainbow Dash did the only thing she could do; she charged.

"Get off of her!" Rainbow Dash ran towards the bed, meaning to tackle Rarity off, but Rarity raised her hand and a green light flashed through the room.

Rainbow Dash was thrown across the room into the wall. She grabbed hold of a hat rack to stabilize herself and groaned. Looking up, she saw a long-haired woman wearing a corset and dress where Rarity was. Dash recognized her. "Chrysalis!"

"Easy, now." Chrysalis spoke, her voice echoing it on itself like a demon. While her magic dealt with Rainbow Dash, Chrysalis lifted Applejack up off the bed, proving herself strong enough to support Applejack's body weight with only arm. "We wouldn't to interrupt dear Applejack's lunch."

Rainbow Dash got up and made fists.

"Ah, ah, ah." Chrysalis waved her finger. "I wouldn't do that." She placed her free hand on her chest "One touch of this stuff gets on you, you'll be helpless before me, just like Twilight Sparkle was. You wouldn't want to betray Rarity by nursing some _other_ woman's milk, would you?"

Rainbow Dash wanted to tell Chrysalis she was full of it. Twilight would never abandon them. But she realized Twilight _would_ – Rainbow was an expert on the effects of white poison. The kind of things it could do to a woman … to her clarity of mind, to her mental health …

Cursing herself, Rainbow Dash lowered her fists.

"That's a good girl." Chrysalis began to walk out of the room, carrying Applejack. "Just behave and no has to get hurt."

Chrysalis reached the bottom of the stairs, and everyone was right to be alarmed to see her.

"Chrysalis!?" Shining Armor exclaimed.

"How she'd get in here?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Oh my … she was Rarity! That's why she had to ask where Applejack was a second time!" Fluttershy realized.

"Yes. Pity you couldn't have figured that out sooner. If you'll excuse me, I'll be making off with Applejack." Chrysalis said, continuing towards the door.

"Oh yeah?" Pinkie Pie made fists. "What makes you so sure about that, huh?"

"Don't."

Rainbow Dash came down the stairs, Pinkie and Fluttershy watching her.

"She's got some crazy thing with her magic going on. If you try something, she'll hit you with it."

"Yes." Chrysalis smiled. "So you can try and stop me, and I can make you all my slaves, or you can let me walk away with only Applejack."

Shining Armor tensed his fingers and grimaced. He hated being caught between a rock and a hard place.

Chrysalis opened the door with her foot and walked outside. Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie followed her, to keep an eye on her.

Outside, Rarity heard the sound of footsteps and raised her head up. "What's going on?" She saw Chrysalis carrying Applejack and gasped.

"That's it. Be good boys and girls and just let me escape ..." Chrysalis turned around to walk away, no longer facing them.

Rarity stood up. She looked at the others, at her friends … at Shining Armor. She looked to Chrysalis, stepped towards, and reached a hand out for her.

"Wait. There's one more thing."

Chrysalis turned back around, giving Rarity an impatient glare. "Yes?"

Rarity took in a deep breath. "Take me with you."

"What?" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"You can't be serious!' Shining Armor said.

"Rarity, no!" Fluttershy squealed.

"Uh, come again?" Even Chrysalis shared in their confusion.

"I want to join you." Rarity said. She walked closer towards Chrysalis and further away from her friends. "My friends, the people of Ponyville ..." Rarity gestured to the surrounding suburbs. "I've seen the way they look at me. I know what they cal me. My friends and I have been having some … difficulties. And it seems like even if they want to forgive me and get along, they seem unable to. Unable to let go of my past … and _some_ are convinced I am up to no good, despite a lack of evidence or even evidence to the contrary." Rarity tossed Shining Armor a bitter glare. "So I reason, if I'm still going to be treated as a monster and a outcast, I may as well go with you, a fellow monstrous seductress, to a place where I can belong."

Rarity bent over and rubbed at the tracking bracelet Shining Armor had placed on her leg.

"A place where I can be _free_." Rarity continued to shoot Shining Armor glares.

Chrysalis rubbed her chin. "Having one of Twilight Sparkle's friends join me willingly of her own accord would be a dream come true … but how do I know I can trust you? How do I know this isn't a trick?"

Rarity spun her hand through the air and put it behind her back, bowing. "You will have my loyalty. All I ask ..." Rarity got down on one leg, putting the leg with the bejeweled bracelet forward. "Is that you remove this dreadful thing."

Chrysalis put a finger to her chin. She rocked her head, thinking about it. "Done." She pointed at the bracelet and fired a beam of green green magic from her finger.

The bracelet cracked and shattered in half, falling off Rarity's legs.

"Ah." Rarity sighed and rubbed at her legs, feeling the air on her skin again. "That is so much better." Rarity stood up and turned 'round to her friends. "So long, darlings! I'll miss you all so very much." Rarity blew a kiss at them. She pointed a finger at Shining Armor. "Except for you. The next time Chrysalis tries to brainwash you, I will be happy to help her."

Rarity took her place by Chrysalis' side. Rarity and Chrysalis exchanged smiles with each other before walking into the distance.

"Rarity, why?" A tear escaped Rainbow Dash's eye, going down her cheek. "You!" She rounded on Shining Armor, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. "See what you did? This is all your fault!" Fluttershy tried to intervene, but before she could do anything, Rainbow Dash pushed Shining Armor to the ground on his back.

Rainbow Dash walked away from him. "Why?" She sank to the ground with her knees bent, tears dripping down her cheeks. Fluttershy sat down next to her and tried to comfort her.

"Why?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Why would she leave me? Why? Was I – was I not _good enough _to her?"

"Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry … I don't know."

* * *

Chrysalis led Rarity and Applejack to a cave far outside the south end of Ponyville. At some point, Chrysalis concluded Applejack had enough milk and set on her feet, leaving a groggy Applejack to be guided by Chrysalis' hand like a drowsy puppy. Rarity would almost find it cute if she didn't find it so uncomfortable.

"Here we are." Chrysalis walked them into the caves. They didn't get far before Rarity saw a frizzy-haired woman she didn't recognize come running up to greet them.

"Chrysalis!" Adagio Dazzle exclaimed. "You're back! Ooh." She smiled at Rarity and Applejack. "New toys?"

"Somewhat, yes. This one you can play with." Chrysalis pushed Applejack forward. "This one, however, is named Rarity, and she has chosen to join us."

"Has she now?" Adagio Dazzle asked with a smirk. Rarity wasn't sure why, but way Adagio asked made her uneasy. "Nice to meet you, Rarity. I'm Adagio Dazzle." Adagio offered her hand to Rarity.

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance." Rarity took the hand, but when she did, Adagio Dazzle grabbed by the wrist and pulled Rarity towards her as if they were doing a tango.

"Why don't you come to the back and we can get more … _acquainted_?"

"Er, I'd really rather not." Rarity said. "I'm still settling in, as it were."

"I'm here!" Trixie shouted, coming into the room. "I heard talking. What's with all the noise?" Her eyes locked on to Rarity, and she became offended.

"Trixie?"

"What is _she_ doing here?" Trixie pointed to Rarity while turning to Chrysalis.

"Rarity's agreed to join us." Chrysalis said.

Trixie glared at Rarity.

"I know why I'm working with Chrysalis." Rarity said. "Why are you working for her, Trixie? I can't possibly imagine a good reason why ..."

"Because!" Trixie snapped back. "I want revenge on Twilight Sparkle for embarrassing me during that Alicorn Amulet fiasco!"

"You embarrassed _yourself_ with that fiasco, dear." Rarity said. "The last time you tried to get revenge on Twilight didn't work out well in your favor, did it? Did you learn nothing? No. Surely there's more to it than that."

Trixie turned away from Rarity. "Well … Chrysalis also promised that if I helped her schemes, she would give me everything I ever wanted."

"And what do you want, Trixie?" Rarity asked.

"Adoration." Trixie said. "Hundreds and hundreds of adoring fans, cheering me on the stage and loving my every performance."

"You know … you could get that without Chrysalis' help." Rarity said. Chrysalis glared at her.

"Really?" Trixie asked.

"Yes. All you have to do is perform well." Rarity said. "If you do that, they'll come flocking to you."

"Rarity ..." Chrysalis was displeased with Rarity suggesting the idea of Trixie getting what she wanted on her own. "Tread carefully."

"Huh." Rarity looked around, examine Chrysalis, Adagio Dazzle, and Trixie. She couldn't be treading more carefully. She was a sheep in a den of lions.

_No, no. Sheep don't let copious, unnecessary amounts of white poison … not more than they need to feed their young, anyway._ Rarity thought. _They also don't control the slime … oh, now there's a thought._

"Chrysalis?" Rarity asked. "I haven't seen any slimes around. You do have some, don't you?"

"It's in storage." Chrysalis said. "Until such a time I deem we require its services."

_Drat_. Rarity snapped her fingers. _Well, it was worth a shot _…

Rarity looked around the cave. "You know what else is bothering me, Chrysalis? You said you had Twilight Sparkle, yet the entire time we've been here, I haven't seen her anywhere in this cave. Where is she? Surely you didn't … lose her, did you?"

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes and sneered. "Rarity ..." Chrysalis walked over to Rarity, bending over to emphasize the difference in their heights. "Did you promise to serve me loyally?"

"As loyally as I ever did promise." Rarity held one had while holding the other over her chest.

"Then you will stop asking questions that I find upsetting." Chrysalis said. "You let me worry about Twilight Sparkle. Understand?"

"Perfectly."

"Good. Now, I need to go draw up some new plans. You can have fun with Applejack while I'm away."

"Oh, goody." Adagio Dazzle grabbed Applejack and pulled her close.

Rarity grabbed Applejack and pulled her away from Adagio. "Actually, do you mind if I have the first turn with her? I'm still settling into my new role, and ..." Rarity ran a hand through Applejack's hand. "It would be nice to have something to remind me of home."

"Fine. I will allow it." Chrysalis said. "But you better not be planning something with her." She pointed a very determined finger at Rarity.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Rarity said as Chrysalis walked deeper into the cave. Trixie left with her.

"Come on." Adagio Dazzle placed a hand on Rarity's shoulder. "I'll show you around."

Adagio Dazzle was a bit too willing to touch her for Rarity's comfort, but she appreciate Adagio showing her around. Chrysalis' group had actually made a comfortable little dwelling inside the cave, complete with beds with mattresses and benches hammered to the edges of the wall.

"And here is a good place to get in with your … intimate healing." Adagio Dazzle gestured Rarity to a bench in one room. "I'll give you two a minute alone." Adagio Dazzle left out the cave entrance, leaving Rarity and Applejack alone.

Rarity put a hand on Applejack's back and guided towards the bench. Helping Applejack to sit down, Rarity put her hands in her lap and waited for awhile.

"Ugh …" Applejack groaned, coming out of her funk, her mind clearing up. "Rarity? What happened? Where are we?"

"You were fed white poison." Rarity said. "By Chrysalis. She turned into me and waltzed right in under our noses, and then I defected and joined her side, and she brought us both here."

"You did what? Rarity, why?"

"Calm down." Rarity said. "I haven't really joined her side. And be quiet. If Chrysalis or her cronies hear you talking and thinking clearly, they'll know something's up and it won't be long before they realize my deception."

"Oh. Okay." Applejack said. "So, what do we do?"

"Well, for the time being, we try to make them think you're still helplessly addicted."

"Okay. How do we do that without making me, you know, actually addicted?"

"Simple." Rarity said. She presented herself to Applejack, gesturing to her chest. "Stick your head in."

"Do Ah have to?" Rarity glared and Applejack groaned. "Ugh. Okay." Applejack took in a breath deep breath and plunged her head into Rarity's cleavage, pretending to make slurping noises with her mouth.

"Mm-mm!" Applejack lifted her head up. "This sure is good!"

Rarity facepalmed. "Applejack, darling, we have got to get you some lessons. Why don't you leave the acting to me?" Rarity put a hand on Applejack's neck and gently coaxed her back in.

"Ah-ha!" Adagio Dazzle came back into the room, putting her hands on the 'doorframe.' "I knew it. You haven't really joined us, have you, Rarity?"

Rarity blushed and turned away from Adagio. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, Rarity, don't try and play dumb with me." Adagio Dazzle walked into the room. "I heard you and Applejack talking."

Rarity grimaced. "All right, fine. What of it? Go tell Chrysalis. I'm not afraid of you."

"Oh, no, no!" Adagio Dazzle said, pacing around the room. "You misunderstand, Rarity. I don't want to tell Chrysalis on you."

Adagio Dazzle sat on the bench. "I want you to join us for real."

"I … what?"

"I've heard a lot about you, Rarity." Adagio Dazzle said. "The things you're capable … the things you can do … and I know you've haven't been on the best terms with your friends lately."

"We're … getting better." Rarity said.

"Ah, but are you? What about that Captain fellow? He put a bracelet on you, didn't he?" Adagio Dazzle got up and began walking around the room. "Come on, Rarity. You're pretty. You're sexy. You're seductive and oh, the things I hear you can do with your chest!"

Adagio Dazzle got behind Rarity and whispered into her ear. "You belong with us. Just imagine it. With your knowledge of your friends and your close connection with Celestia, between you, me, and Chrysalis, we could take over all of Equestria with our wits, good looks, and charms. We could become the sex queens of Equestria. Ha! "Sex Queens of Equestia." Now there's you a good name for a rock band!"

Adagio Dazzle separated from Rarity.

"Think about it." Adagio said.

Rarity was silent. Applejack kept her head down in Rarity's cleavage, trying not to draw attention to herself.

"Tell you what." Adagio Dazzle examined her nails. "I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. In thirty minutes, that is, half an hour, I'm going to tell Chrysalis about your deception either way. In that time, you can decide whether you escape with Applejack, or if you want to join us for real. Your choice." Adagio Dazzle walked out of the room, her hips swaying back and forth.

When she was gone, Applejack dared to raise her head up. Applejack looked towards the entrance, then back to Rarity. "So … what are y'all goin' to do?"

"I don't know, Applejack." Rarity said. "She does bring up a good point … Shining Armor has been giving me a bit of grief."

"Aw, Rarity, you can't let a thing like that convince you to turn your back on friends! On Equestria!"

"I know, I know." Rarity said. "But still … it's difficult." She scooted to the side of the bench. "I continue to be called a monster for things that were done years ago. Shining Armor is determined to see me in prison, and some of Ponyville still fear me … and if they don't fear me, they mock me and call me names."

"Rarity ..." Applejack brushed Rarity's hair up so she could look her in the eye. "What's your real face? Monster? Milk addict? Femme fatale? _Abuser?_"

"Why?" Rarity asked.

"So we can all quit lying and pretending everything is okay when it isn't, it really isn't. So can we all quit lying to each other. So we can all quit lyin' to ourselves – so you can quit lyin' to yourself. And that would be a heck of lot of easier if we all knew what you really are. So … what's your real face?"

" … I don't know, Applejack."

"I see." Applejack looked at the ground. "Hey, listen … I know we haven't all treated you the best lately, if y'all decide you want to go with Adagio … I understand."

Rarity joined Applejack in looking at the ground. "I … appreciate that, Applejack."

"So," Applejack decided to ask the question again, hoping it would net more results the second time. "What are y'all gonna do?"

Rarity straightened up and looked at Applejack. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Oh, I knew it was too good to be true!" Chrysalis ranted and swore as Adagio Dazzle led her to Rarity's room. "I should have known better!"

"Now, now." Adagio Dazzle said. "If you'll give Rarity the chance to explain herself, she might surprise you. If she admits she wronged you, will you still accept her?"

"I suppose."

"Great. Glad to hear it." Adagio Dazzle smirked. Brimming with confidence Rarity would chose their side, she stepped into the room. Her eyes widened and she grimaced when she saw both Rarity and Applejack had disappeared.

"Darn." Adagio snapped her fingers. "I was really hoping she would choose us …" Adagio looked at Chrysalis, who was shaking with rage.

"Hey." Adagio placed a hand on Chrysalis's cheek. "I know what will cheer you up. Why don't you use your transformation magic to turn me into Celestia, and then we have some fun together? Huh? Doesn't the idea of Celestia kneeling at your feet appeal to you?"

"That … does sound appealing." Chrysalis said. "Oh, all right." She waved her finger and zapped Adagio Dazzle, who was transformed instantly into a perfect physical double of Celestia. Smiling, Adagio Dazzle wrapped her arms around Chrysalis, pressing their chests together in a squishy, affectionate display.

* * *

Out in the forest, Sunset Shimmer yawned and stretched after having a good night's sleep. "Hey, Honeycomb." Sunset Shimmer noticed Honeycomb had built several, well, honeycombs into a structure on the ground. "What's all this?"

"These are, mmm, honeycombs for the conversions." Honeycomb said.

"Conversions?" Sunset raised her brow. "What does that mean?"

"Conversions." Honeycomb said as she carried a block of honeycomb shells over to the structure, setting it down on top. "For turning others into fellow bees for the hive."

"Uh-huh." Sunset nodded. She wasn't going to try and pretend like she understood Honeycomb's weirdness. "Hey ..." She noticed something a bit … odd about the honeycombs. They all individually quite big. Big enough to hold an adult person …

As if confirming her developing suspicions, Sunset Shimmer saw Twilight Sparkle, crawling inside one of the honeycombs at Honeycomb's urging.

"That's it … good girl." Honeycomb told Twilight. Twilight, still in a trance with blank, unthinking eyes, nodded. . A waterfall of honey fell from the top of the honeycomb, which dripped down and solidified into a golden, crystal wall, sealing Twilight Sparkle inside. The honeycomb began to fill with honey, oozing and dripping golden liquid from its walls until Twilight was covered in the substance up to her knees. The level of honey continued rising until Twilight was submerged in the liquid.

"I … didn't ask you to do that." Sunset Shimmer tensed her fingers, getting a little worried. Maybe recruiting Honeycomb to her side hadn't been the best idea.

As she was worrying about this, she felt something grip her by the arm.

"In you go."

"What? Hey!" Sunset Shimmer yelled as Honeycomb tossed her inside one of the people-sized honeycombs. Sunset tried to get out, but it was too late; the waterfall was already flowing and beginning to solidify. Sunset Shimmer banged her fists on the honey casing, trying to break it. "Let me out!"

"I thought this was, mmm, what you wanted, Mistress" Honeycomb said. "I thought you, mmm, understood what you were dealing with."

"I never said I wanted to be drowned in honey!" Sunset Shimmer banged on the casing again. The honey began to flow inside her prison.

"My apologies, Mistress. But it's too late to stop it now." Honeycomb flapped her wings and flew away, off to gather more honey and more victims.

"_Honeycomb!_" Sunset Shimmer banged her fists on the casing, despite her efforts being fruitless. "Let me out!" The honey had gotten so deep as to reach up to Sunset's neck. Sunset, terrified, began to cry. She continued banging on the casing. "LET ME OUT!"

Realizing it wasn't going to work, Sunset gave up on banging the basing. Crying softly, there was nothing she could do as the honey continued to rise, leaking into her mouth as it submerged her whole body.

* * *

In the cave, Adagio Dazzle and Chrysalis rolled around on the large, smooth rock they used as an improvised bed. Adagio Dazzle, wearing Celestia's form, giggled, enjoying herself, though Chrysalis paused after she was on her back, losing herself in thought.

"Chrysalis?" Adagio pressed her chest into Chrysalis's. "What's wrong?"

Chrysalis frowned. She raised a hand and counted off her losses. "I've lost Rarity as a potential ally … I lost Twilight Sparkle … I lost the Citrus Slime for a time before regaining it … my plans will never come to fruition at this rate if I keep getting sidetracked by these distractions. I need to gain an edge and press my advantage with that."

Chrysalis continued thinking, apathetic to Adagio Dazzle's hands digging into her cleavage.

"I've got it." Chrysalis snapped her fingers. "I was able to kidnap Cadence and imitate her, and no one was the wiser except for Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle is now more or less out of commission, so if I could get in and kidnap Cadence again … no one would have a clue. Playtime's over, Adagio Dazzle. We're going to the Crystal Empire. My spies report Cadence has been hanging around there as of late ..."

Chrysalis pushed Adagio Dazzle off her, sending Adagio rolling. Adagio grunted when she hit the cave floor. "Oof."

Adagio stood up and rubbed her head, watching with concern as Chrysalis marched off. "Chrysalis, are you sure that's a good idea? Not that I'm questioning your strategy, but … I can see you're frustrated. I just want to consider the consequences of acting rashly. Think about it. Is this really what you want to do?"

Chrysalis looked to Adagio Dazzle.

"I've thought about it. We're still going. Go grab Trixie and get ready." Chrysalis snapped her fingers.

"Your wish is my command … however ill-advised a wish it may be." Adagio bowed.

* * *

In the forest, Aria Blaze returned to Sunset's camp site.

"All right, I'm back from meeting with some friends." Aria rubbed her hands, ready to get down to business. She noticed the stack of people-sized honeycombs. "Whoa. What's with the construction project there?"

"It is for, mmm, conversions." Honeycomb answered. "Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer are in the process now."

"Huh. Really?" Aria asked. "You're … not gonna do that to me, are you?"

"Mmm … I was, but when I placed Sunset inside, she was most upset, so, mmm … I think not. Unless you want to."

Aria cast her gaze on the honeycombs.

"Not right now … but maybe later." Aria tapped her chin. "I like to keep my options open."

The honeycombs let out gurgling noises, and the golden membranes covering them began to stretch.

"Oh!" Honeycomb put her hands together. "It's time! They're ready."

The honeycombs released a huge splash of golden liquid, spitting out both honey mixed with conversion fluid and releasing Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer. Twilight and Sunset slid around on the liquid, needing a moment to adjust to their new bodies. They both were near-exact matches for Honeycomb's body, except for retaining their original faces, hair, and proportions of their limbs. Sunset Shimmer had antennae on her head which ended in in white fuzzy limps, which bounced as Sunset sat upright.

"Hmm." Sunset put a hand to the lumps, wincing when she touched them.

"Careful." Honeycomb warned her. "Those are sensitive."

"So … we're both bee-women now." Sunset said. "Now what's our plan? Bzzt!" Sunset covered her mouth as though she was experiencing a bad case of hiccups.

"I'm, mmm, not sure. I did not, mmm, plan that far ahead." Honeycomb said.

"You know … I haven't seen my friends in a long while." Twilight said. "Oh! Oh!" She raised her hand. "I have an idea! We should go to the Crystal Empire."

"The Crystal Empire? What's there for us, bzzt?" Sunset asked.

"Mm-hmm." Aria nodded. "So is having some weird verbal tic like, a species trait for you?" She asked Honeycomb.

"Mmm, it's common, but not always."

"My old foalsitter, Cadence, is in the Crystal Empire." Twilight said. "And the best part is, we can just walk right in! We'll go up to her, tell her that we know there's a cure for us, and then manipulate her into advancing our goals while thinking it's all to help us." Twilight swiped a fist through the air.

"It's devious. It's manipulative. It involves you lying and tricking somebody who loves and trusts you. I love it! And I know there's got to be a magical artifact or two in the Empire …" Sunset raised her fist. She turned around and observed the huge stinger making up her abdomen. "A cure, huh? … that _would_ be nice." Sunset shook her head. This was what the path she had chosen to go down on had led her to, and she was going to stay the course.

Sunset stood up and pumped her fist, putting on a crazed grin. "Ladies, looks like we're going to the Crystal Empire!"

* * *

Chrysalis, Adagio Dazzle, and Trixie made their way to the Crystal Empire. Adagio was back to her regular appearance; given what she was doing, it would be easy for Cadence to figure out she wasn't the real Celestia, so what would be the point?

With Chrysalis's guidance, the three of them were able to slip by unseen and go around to the side of the Crystal Castle.

"Here we are." Chrysalis said. "We'll get in by climbing. The Guards are less likely to see us that way. Hup!" Chrysalis yelped and jumped onto the side of the castle, digging her hands into and climbing up.

"Um … Trixie does not do so well with climbing." Trixie said.

"Very well, Trixie. Perhaps you would to grab on to my foot and hold on to that while I climb?" Chrysalis asked.

Trixie was unsettled by the mental image of such an action. She imagined Chrysalis banging her on rocks and loose stones, ignoring her cries of protests. "No."

"Then shut up and start climbing."

Trixie gulped. Though nervous, she followed Chrysalis's lead. Adagio Dazzle soon joined them.

"Chrysalis, are you sure this is the best idea?" Adagio Dazzle asked. "It still seems like you're acting rashly ..."

"Yes, I'm sure, and I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Trixie; _shut up and climb_."

Adagio Dazzle sighed. "As you wish, Mistress ..."

High, high up in the castle, with several floors between them and the invaders whose presence they were unaware of, Cadence, Shining Armor, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash got together in a meeting to discuss the recent developments from Rarity's defection.

"So, let me make sure I have this right. You're trying to tell me that Rarity ... joined Chrysalis?" Cadence asked, holding her fingers up.

"Yes! What about that is so hard to understand?" Shining Armor said.

"Mainly the part where Rarity has any reason to join Chrysalis – who, it should be remembered, has the capacity to brainwash people. Why would Rarity do that?"

"Why?" Rainbow Dash asked, cradling up on a chair. "Why would she leave me?"

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash, I don't know." Cadence said. "I don't know why Rarity would leave you. From what I've heard, despite the … problematic origins of your relationship, you've been nothing but good to her."

"Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry." Fluttershy put a hand on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "I don't know what you could have possibly done ..."

"Yeah ..." Rainbow Dash lifted her head up, her tears drying."Or maybe it wasn't anything I did." She glanced at Shining Armor. "Maybe it was something someone else did." Rainbow Dash unfurled from her position and got up, walking towards Shining Armor.

"What are you implying?" Shining Armor asked.

"I'm implying Rarity leaving was because of something you did, you jerk." Rainbow Dash said, walking up to Shining Armor. "She told me about the bracelet. How you put a tracking device on her because you thought she kidnapped Twilight."

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "Shining Armor? Is this true?"

"Well … yes." Shining Armor said. "I didn't have any other good suspects at the time!"

"Oh, Shining ..." Cadence placed a hand over her eyes, though she sounded more as though she was putting up more with Shining Armor's wacky antics than dealing with his violation of a citizen's rights.

"She also told me about how you had two Guards and the bracelet ready to go at the snap of a finger." Rainbow Dash said.

"Yeah? What about it?"

Rainbow Dash walked up to Shining Armor, getting into his face.

"You were never going to give her a chance, were you?"

"Ugh!" Pinkie groaned. "Enough! I'm tired of hearing you guys fight! Rarity's still on our side, you guys!"

Rainbow Dash waved her hand, keeping her hate-filled eyes on Shining Armor. "What side Rarity is on isn't the issue anymore, Pinkie Pie, it's about Shining Armor carrying out his grudge. Wait … did you say Rarity was still on our side?"

"Uh, yeah?" Pinkie Pie said.

"Pinkie, how could you possibly know that?" Shining Armor said. "I mean, you saw what she did, right? Heard what she said?"

"Yes! Didn't you?" Pinkie threw her hands in the air.

"Um, Pinkie Pie? I'm beginning to get the sense you know something we don't." Fluttershy said.

"It's looking like it!"

"Okay. Do you, um, care to share what that is?" Shining Armor gestured for Pinkie to take the floor.

Pinkie Pie raised a finger, willing to tell them whatever it was.

She was interrupted by the door to the room being blown open, engulfed by an explosion of green magic and emerald flames.

"Ah-ha!" Chrysalis announced, marching into the room. "Cadence, we meet again!" Chrysalis was as surprised to see everyone there as they were to see her. "Okay, um ..." She pointed to Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Shining Armor in turn. "You, you, you, and you weren't supposed to be here for this."

"Sorry to disappoint." Cadence clenched her fists, blue fire surrounding them."Get behind me, everyone!"

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash complied.

Shining Armor stepped forward and raised a magical force field between Chrysalis and them.

"Oh. That's cute." Chrysalis said. "But it won't save you." She snapped her fingers, and Adagio Dazzle and Trixie came into the room.

"Trixie?" Rainbow Dash asked. "And some … weird hair metal singer?"

"What are you doing with Chrysalis, Trixie?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Does it matter?" Rainbow Dash asked. "She's clearly on her side! Hey … where's Rarity, you jerks?"

"Rarity could not be _present_ for this outing." Chrysalis said, trying to hide the fact she lost control of Rarity. It wouldn't look good to her reputation, and it could embolden Cadence and her friends to know.

Chrysalis and Trixie opened fire on the force field, pelting it with magical blasts. They had minimal effect, and when Shining Armor saw their chance, he opened up a hole in the force field, allowing Cadence to retaliate with blue bolts of magic.

Chrysalis, Trixie, and Adagio Dazzle split up and ducked for cover around the room. Chrysalis snarled and fired again, achieving nothing as the force field absorbed her blasts.

"Come on, let me out." Rainbow Dash. "I can take one or two of them!"

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash." Cadence said. "Too risky. I'm not letting them hit you with something to warp your mind."

"Yeah." Shining Armor said. "According to Rainbow Dash, Chrysalis has – ugh – slime similar to the Slime's which can brainwash on contact."

"On _contact?_ That's not good." Cadence said. "At least with the slimes, you had to ingest it."

Shining Armor opened up the force field again, and Cadence did her best to hit Chrysalis with a spell. This stalemate might have gone on forever, or at least until both parties got fed up and agreed to a ceasefire, where it not for a trio of bees and one passenger crashing through the window and into the force field.

"Are you sure this is a good ideaaaaaaa?" Aria Blaze asked, riding on the back of Honeycomb, her question coming too late to stop her party as they smashed through the window and ended up with their legs against the force field, their faces flattened into it.

"What the?" Shining Armor asked. The sight of Twilight's face startled him enough he dropped the force field, which had the effect of dropping Twilight, Sunset, Honeycomb, and Aria to the floor.

"Shining Armor! Cadence!" Twilight said, pushing herself up, no worse for the wear for having smashed through a window and being dropped to the floor. "I'm so glad you're here! We could really use your help. See, we all got turned into this bee things you see, and we need your help to cure us!"

"O … kay." Cadence said. "I'll be happy to help you and your new friends, Twilight, but can it wait?" Cadence tried to look over Twilight's shoulder at Chrysalis. "I'm kinda in the middle of something here."

"Hey … wait a minute." Adagio Dazzle. "I recognize that bee-woman there." She pointed to Honeycomb. "She's a creature Chrysalis summoned who decided she'd rather hang out with that red-haired women there instead! And she wasn't a bee before! Don't trust any of them, Princess Cadence!"

Twilight turned around, offended, her stinger raising up. "And why she should trust your word over mine?"

"That's a good question." Cadence asked. "Why should I trust your word over Twilight's? You're a stranger working with Chrysalis, and I've known Twilight most of my life."

"True." Adagio Dazzle. "So, what would it take to get you to trust me?" Adagio Dazzle flashed a grin.

Cadence could only react in confusion.

"Oh, forget this. Twilight, your plan is never going to work at this rate." Sunset Shimmer said. She deployed the finger-stingers which came with her new form and pounced on Cadence, aiming to sting her and inject her with delicious honey. Cadence was too fast for Sunset, kicking Sunset Shimmer in the stomach before the stingers had a chance to make contact.

Following this, the room descended into a free-for-all melee.

Aria Blaze went up to Adagio Dazzle and locked her hands with her, getting into a grapple.

"Say, have I seen you somewhere before?" Aria Blaze asked coyly.

"I've never seen you before in my life!" Adagio Dazzle, making sure to to let the whole room hear her so no one outside of Chrysalis's circle got suspicious. With the two of them fighting each other, they could "take care" of each other in the sense of the fight while making sure neither one of them got injured.

Fluttershy tried to stay to find somewhere to hide – fighting wasn't her style – but she ran into Honeycomb. "Eep! Umm, hello, Miss Bee Woman. Say, I'm really good at talking to animals, so if you want to sit down and have a nice talk instead of fighting -"

Honeycomb cared not about what Fluttershy had to say, attempting to strike Fluttershy with her finger-stingers.

"Eep!" Fluttershy squealed and backed away, managing to dodge the stinger.

"Hey!" Pinkie threw herself between Honeycomb and Fluttershy. "You leave poor Fluttershy alone!" Pinkie proceeded to keep Honeycomb at bay with an impressive-seeming display of wild punches and kicks, but Honeycomb saw through her ruse and realized Pinkie had no idea what she was doing. Honeycomb lunged forward and grabbed Pinkie, wrapping her arms around her throat.

"Oh, you will make a fine specimen, mmm, yes ..." Honeycomb raised a hand to inject Pinkie Pie with a golden substance.

Fluttershy saw this and her jaw dropped. Rage and fear for Pinkie's safety overtaking her natural tendency towards cowardice and non-combative roles, Fluttershy ran over and picked up the recliner Rainbow Dash had been sitting in.

"Get your hands off my friend!" With adrenaline surging through her, Fluttershy threw the chair at Honeycomb.

It was Honeycomb's turn to squeal. Seeing the chair fly after her, Honeycomb tossed Pinkie Pie to the ground and flew away to avoid it. The chair flew over Pinkie Pie and smashed into Honeycomb, bringing her down to the floor.

Rainbow Dash went up to Trixie. It was a bad match-up for Trixie, as Rainbow Dash was more than willing to turn Trixie into a punching bag for her frustrations.

"Fool!" Trixie gloated. "You are no match for the magical show-stopping ability of the great and powerful -"

Rainbow Dash interrupted Trixie by slugging her hard across the cheek. Before Trixie could recover, Rainbow Dash grabbed Trixie by the shirt and rammed her into the wall. Rainbow Dash braced an arm against Trixie's neck to keep her pinned. Not taking any chances, Rainbow slammed a fist into Trixie's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

Chrysalis and Cadence continued to exchange fire. Chrysalis fired a beam of green energy which Cadence jumped over, using her wings to extend her air time before blasting Chrysalis in the stomach with a blue bolt.

"I have had enough of this. It's time for a change of tact ..." Chrysalis reached a finger into her dress and ran her finger across her chest, getting a little bit of goo on it. Aiming her finger at Cadence, Chrysalis fired a blast from it – with the magic touching the milk as it left her finger, the milk's properties would transfer to the spell. Or so Chrysalis hoped. Chrysalis fired another bolt, hoping to distract Cadence so the first one would hit her.

Cadence saw through Chrysalis's deception. Cadence raised both her hands and fired, not at Chrysalis, but at the bolts themselves. Cadence's blue bolts hit Chrysalis's green bolts in mid-air, causing them to splinter into several, smaller, less powerful bolts which flew off into eight different directions. Some of the magical shrapnel hit Chrysalis in the gut. Some of it – including the milk-touched portion if it - struck Cadence in the side, causing Cadence to bend over in pain.

Chrysalis smiled at the opportunity. Chrysalis raised both her hands, preparing spells in both of to hit Cadence with it and end her, or at least claim victory. Cadence looked up to see Chrysalis looming over her, green fire in her hands and a mad grin on her face.

Chrysalis's grin disappeared when something struck her in the back, sending her forward and interrupting her spells. Cadence wondered who did such a thing, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Putting both her hands out, Cadence let out two huge blasts from her palm which smashed into Chrysalis's midsection and sent her flying, throwing her out the door and into the hall. With Chrysalis out of the way, Cadence could see Rarity standing in the doorway.

"Rarity?" Cadence asked. Was Rarity the one who saved her?

"Girls!" Chrysalis screamed. "We're done here! We're fighting a losing battle! Let's go!"

Rarity gathered magic in her hands, preparing to hit Chrysalis with a powerful spell. Rarity fired and Chrysalis rolled out the way, causing a small explosion to rock the hallway. Chrysalis fired at Rarity, who ducked and dodged.

Chrysalis fired into the room, hitting Rainbow Dash and throwing her to the ground, getting off Trixie. Trixie took the chance to escape.

"Okay, Aria, you can stop now." Adagio Dazzle said. Aria continued to hold a tight grip, glaring at Adagio. "Aria? Aria Blaze, you can stop now. Really."

Aria said nothing. If anything, she tightened her grip.

Adagio Dazzle, seeing little other choice, kicked Aria in the stomach, pushing her away and allowing Adagio to escape. Adagio Dazzle proceeded to join Chrysalis and Trixie, and with the three of them together, they ran down the hall, evading massive blasts from Rarity's magic.

"GUARDS!" Cadence screamed. "THREE INTRUDERS IN THE HALLWAY ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE!" Even though Cadence thought the Guards being able to handle Chrysalis was a long shot. Judging from the sounds of magical fire being exchanged in the hallway, she was right.

Rarity came into the room, holding Applejack. "Go get them, tiger." Rarity tossed Applejack into the air and proceed to use her magic to hold Applejack suspended in the air before flinging her onto Sunset Shimmer.

Applejack wrapped her arms around Sunset Shimmer's throat, attempting to choke her into submission.

"What? Hey! Bzzt! Get off of me, bzzt!" Sunset clawed at Applejack's arms, trying to pry her off.

"Stop saying 'bzzt'." Applejack said.

"I can't – bzzt – help it. Bzzt!"

Sunset Shimmer was successful in prying Applejack off and threw her to the ground. Her victory didn't last long, as Rarity struck her in the back with magic. Rarity lacked the raw power of Cadence and Twilight, or Twilight's skill, but she made up for it with precise aiming and repeated blows, seeking to wear her foes down by sustained firepower and attrition.

"Gah!" Sunset clutched at her back as Rarity hit it again. "That's it! Let's get out of here!" Sunset and Honeycomb flew over to Aria Blaze and picked up her by the arms, holding her by one arm each, and flew out the window. Twilight joined them.

Rarity continued to fire on them, pursuing them all the way to the window with a calm stride to her movements. Seeing the bees fly away from the castle, Rarity fired through the open window, though she only succeeded in hitting Twilight Sparkle and sending her into a tailspin, off-course from the other bees.

Twilight, thus separated, proceeded to fly in a different direction than the rest of them.

"Twilight, no!" Sunset Shimmer yelled. "Don't get separated from the rest of the hive!"

"Sorry, Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said. "But there's something I want. Something I didn't realize I wanted as badly as I did until Chrysalis showed me the light. I'm going to go see Celestia, ha-ha!" Twilight continued flying her own way, and Sunset, dividing Aria Blaze's weight with Honeycomb, couldn't do much about it.

Rarity watched as all of them faded into specks in the distance. She turned around to face the group, who were, except for Pinkie and Applejack, all regarding her with equal parts awe and fear.

"You're … you're back." Rainbow Dash said.

"I know."

Rarity walked up to Rainbow Dash, placing a hand on Rainbow's cheek.

"And I am so sorry I left you, my love."

Rainbow Dash, unable to bear the thought of being separated again, grabbed Rarity's wrist to hold her close.

" … don't do that to me again."

"I'll try not to."

"Whoa, whoa, time-out." Shining Armor made a T-shape with his hands. "Not that this isn't very sweet, but Rarity, you've got some explaining to do. I thought you were on Chrysalis's side?"

"I was never on Chrysalis's side." Rarity said.

Shining Armor was reduced to unintelligible stammering. "But – at the library! You … and Chrysalis … and Applejack! With the bracelet!"

"The bracelet you _unjustly_ put on me, I might add."

Fluttershy walked up and put a hand on Shining Armor to help him calm down. "We all heard what you said, Rarity. So how can you say you were never on Chrysalis's side?"

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash said. "I'd like to know that myself."

"Oh, COME ON!" Pinkie Pie yelled. "Am I the only one who noticed she had her fingers crossed?"

A din of silence fell over the room.

"Thank you, Pinkie Pie." Rarity said. "I'm glad at least _one_ of you noticed that ..."

"What?" Shining Armor swore.

"When she was talking to us and making all those gestures," Pinkie mimed the movements Rarity made while she offering her feigned fealty to Chrysalis, "she had one hand to Chrysalis and one hand to us. Like this, see? When she was going, 'I'll miss you all so much, darlings!' She had one hand here ..." Pinkie mimed blowing a kiss the same way Rarity did with one hand. "And her other hand here!" Pinkie wiggled with her other hand, placing it in front of her stomach the way Rarity had, with the index and middle fingers crossed.

"Yes." Rarity said. "I had hoped to infiltrate Chrysalis's organization and learn more about what she was up to. But unfortunately, Adagio Dazzle figured out what I was up when she overhead me talking with Applejack, and I had to cut that plan short. It was, however, not a complete loss."

Rarity reached into her cleavage. She pulled out a dark-colored book with intimidating sculpting on the cover.

"You store things in your cleavage?" Shining Armor said. "I'll never be able to get over that. How did you even fit an entire book in there?"

"Is that …?" Cadence asked.

"The book the slimes were summoned out from? Yes. I was able to swipe it away from under Chrysalis's nose."

"Rarity, that's great!" Cadence held out her hand. "Give it here and we can burn it."

Rarity wrapped her arms around the book. "Actually, Cadence, I was hoping I could keep the book. You know, for research. Study it, figure out potential ways to fight the slime."

Cadence furrowed her brow. "Rarity, don't play this game with me. You don't want it for research. You want it for leverage."

"Goodness!" Rarity held up the book up. "Something that makes Shining Armor afraid? What could I _possibly_ want with that? I mean, it's not like Equestria's highest-ranking law official is gunning after me for something I wasn't responsible for!"

"What about that time you tried to feed Applejack?" Shining Armor asked. "You know, a few days ago?"

"That was … a mistake." Rarity admitted. "I was under some pressure, and it seem like everything around me was falling apart. A sensation, I'll add, that you've not done much to help with, Shining Armor."

"Oh, a mistake, huh? Is that how you justify it?" Shining Armor asked. "Just a little tiny mistake where you forced your breast into your friend's mouth?"

"I never said it was a tiny mistake." Rarity countered. "You know, I've been thinking, Shining Armor, and something's occurred to me. When you came to my house recently, demanding to know the location of where I allegedly took your sister, you already had two guards and a bracelet ready for me."

"Yeah. So? What's your point?"

Rarity affixed Shining Armor with one of the coldest glares Shining Armor had seen.

"You were never going to give me a chance, were you?" Rarity asked.

Shining Armor was shaken, while Rainbow Dash felt smug and satisfied.

Shining Armor recovered. "Not to someone who force-feeds her own friends, no. I'm not."

"Aw, hey now … Rarity and I talked that out. Sure, I didn't appreciate getting my face stuffed with milk, but we decided to forgive each other." Applejack said. "So quit throwin' it in her face. Besides, Rarity's not a bad sort, she's just ..." Applejack looked to Rarity and turned silent.

"Just? Well, come on, Applejack. Spit it out. What am I?"

Applejack gave her a stare.

"You're … broken. That's what."

"Broken." Rarity repeated. She tossed the book up in the air and caught it. She proceed to walk out the door. "_Broken_. Huh." Holding the book, Rarity walked out the door.

"Rarity?" Cadence said. She marched after Rarity, shaking her fist. "Rarity Belle, _give me that book! Ogh ..._" Cadence groaned, clutching at her side where Chrysalis's magic hit her earlier. Shining Armor and Applejack rushed to prop her up and give her physical support.

* * *

Aria Blaze walked into the cave. Adagio Dazzle was helping Chrysalis over to a place where she could rest after the failure they had today.

"I got your message. You wanted to see me?" Aria Blaze asked.

Adagio Dazzle was surprised. She evidently wasn't expecting Aria to arrive so soon. After making sure Chrysalis was comfortable on her bench, Adagio Dazzle joined Aria.

"Yes. I wanted to ask you about the battle we just had." Adagio placed her hands on her hips. "Specifically, why you didn't stop when I told you to? My part in the fight was over."

"What … can I say?" Aria shrugged. "I was … in character."

"Hmm." Adagio frowned, not satisfied with this answer.

"Will that be all?"

"Mmm. For now. But don't do it again." Adagio Dazzle directed a pointed finger at Aria, warning her not to try something like this again.

"Oh, rest assured. I won't."

Aria and Adagio turned and walked away from each other, Aria exiting the cave and Adagio returning to Chrysalis.

Adagio paused, having a spark of an idea. "Oh! I just had an idea!"

"What?" Chrysalis asked.

"Well … as we were running away from the castle, I thought I overheard Twilight Sparkle say something about going to see Celestia."

"Yes. I heard it too, through the window. What of it?"

"Well ..." Adagio swept one leg in front of the other. "I know you liked having Twilight Sparkle in your possession … and we both know that you can turn me into a perfect copy of Celestia."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Where I am going … is that you can turn me into a copy of Celestia, and then I can find Twilight Sparkle and bring her back here." Adagio approached Chrysalis, draping an arm on Chrysalis's shoulders. "It's a simple plan. All I have to do is make sure no one sees me and the real Celestia together, and it'll be as easy as pie."

"Hmm." Chrysalis rubbed a finger against her chin. "Given how well the last plan I had involving duplicating someone went today, you can understand why I might be hesitant … but on the other hand, at this point I'm willing to try anything." Chrysalis waved her finger around, encircling it in green flames.

"I won't come back empty-handed." Adagio Dazzle assured Chrysalis, seconds before Chrysalis zapped her with the spell.

* * *

Shining Armor and Applejack carried Cadence to the bedroom, lying Cadence down on her back on the bed and pulling the blanket up over her.

"Just hold on." Shining Armor told his wife, taking her hand. "We'll figure out what's wrong with you."

"Y'all get plenty of rest, ya hear? Y'all probably need it after that fight." Applejack said.

"Stay in bed, okay?" Shining Armor asked.

"Okay ..." Cadence answered.

Shining Armor and Applejack left the room.

"Hey." Shining Armor called to a passing Guard. "Cadence is in our room, resting. We're going to try and figure out what's wrong with her. Would you mind standing guard and checking up on her every few minutes?"

The Guard nodded.

"Thanks." Shining Armor and Applejack left to join the other girls and discuss what could be afflicting Cadence.

The Guard stood in front of the door, his serious expression never faltering.

Inside the room, Cadence began to groan. "Ooh … ugh." She twisted and turned.

The Guard stood at his post, resolute. He was determined he would not leave this spot. He shivered when a cold air blew out from behind the door. When he heard the sound of what seemed to be cracking ice, he grew concerned. He turned around to open the door and was startled to see ice climbing out from the doorway onto the walls.

Fearful, but vigilant to his duties, the Guard opened the door and peeked his head inside. "Princess Cadence? Is everything all right?"

Cadence was sitting upright on the bed, shivering and rubbing her arms together. Her skin was turning pale and bluish, as if she had been holding her breath for too long.

Cadence turned towards him with a bitter, irritated glare. "Why is it so warm in here?" She growled at him, her voice hoarse.

The Guard stepped inside the room. The first thing he noticed was his boot coming down on some ice, which had covered the floor. "The room is covered in ice, Princess. I don't see how you can think it's so warm, unless you're running a fever. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a little warm, that's all." Cadence hissed.

The Guard looked around the room. "Come to think of it, where did all this ice come from?"

"That's not important." Cadence said. "Go back to your post."

"Okay …" The Guard grew concerned. He closed the door. He stood by the door, wondering if he should report this to Shining Armor. Ice growing on the walls was little strange, but the Princess had told him it wasn't important.

The Guard's uncertainty was addressed by an icy breeze blowing out from around the door, sending snow into the hallway. He was about to dash off and get Shining Armor when Cadence spoke.

"Actually ... Guard?"

The Guard opened the door by slight amount, only enough for him to peek inside. "Uh, yes, Princess Cadence?"

"Would you get me Shining Armor? I want to see him ..."

"Oh. At once, ma'am."

"Thank you ..."

The Guard closed the door. He had already determined he needed to get Shining Armor, but hearing Princess Cadence ask for him by name made him feel better about the decision, somehow. He ran down the hallway and found Shining Armor, bringing him back to the room.

"This better be good ..." Shining Armor muttered, not pleased at having to leave his conversation.

"Trust me, sir." The Guard said. "You're gonna want to see this." He opened the door for Shining.

Shining Armor went inside and gasped. "Cadence?" Her … condition, for lack of a better word, had gotten worse. Ice was covering every part of the room, including a thin, clear sheet on the bed and icicles on the ceiling. Cadence's skin had turned from an unhealthy shade of tinted blue to an terrifying shade of solid light blue, and she was half-undressed.

"Shining." Cadence said dreamily. She laid back on the bed, pulling at her dress. "Come over here …"

_Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me._ Shining Armor thought. It was bad enough putting up with this kind of stuff from Rarity doing to Rainbow Dash; now he had to tolerate it from his own wife?

"Uh … can it wait, sweetie?" Shining Armor asked. "I have to go, uh, do paperwork. You know. Royal Guard stuff."

"Oh, fine." Cadence groaned, covering herself up. "But make it quick!"

Shining Armor nodded to show he heard her. He eased the door at first before slamming it shut, pressing his back against the door with a mortified frown on his face.

"Get the girls." Shining Armor told the Guard. "We have a problem."

* * *

"Hehehehehe ..." Twilight giggled in delight and anticipation to herself as she flew into Canterlot Castle unnoticed. She went up to the side of the building, lifted up a window and climbed inside. The huge stinger on her backside got stuck in the window, making it difficult for her to get in, but she was able to wiggle it through.

"Oof!" Twilight grunted as she hit the ground. She got to her feet and grinned. "I'm in!" She turned and smiled. She knew her away around the castle, so she knew what window to get into to put her just outside Celestia's throne room.

Twilight pulled open the doors to the throne room and went inside. Celestia was talking to a pair of Guards about some affair.

"Make sure they sign it everywhere. One signature out of place, and I won't be able to make this tax cut. And let the ambassador from Maretonia know we'll set arrange a meeting shortly." Celestia turned away from the Guards. She wasn't expecting the visitor she had. "Twilight Sparkle?"

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cheered.

The two Guards stepped in front of the Princess, their spears raised to defend her.

"Twilight Sparkle, what happened to you?" Celestia asked. "What are you doing here?"

"A lot of things happened, but that's irrelevant." Twilight said. "What matters now is that I get what I want."

"Uh-huh." Celestia knew to proceed with caution. She didn't think Twilight Sparkle would ever hurt her, but she could tell Twilight wasn't in her normal state of mind. "And what do you want?"

"I want you, Princess!" Twilight exclaimed. "I want your chest. After that dream I had that I told you about, Chrysalis came by and made it happen. And then a bunch of other stuff happened which ended up in me doing some other things from other girls' chests. But I'm tired of doppelgangers and pale imitations, like cider and honey. I want the real thing. I want it from you."

"I see." Celestia said. "And … are you determined to have it?"

Twilight nodded. "I'm determined. I want it, and I want it! So don't even try to talk me out of it."

"I understand." Celestia said. "Very well. Let me take care of some royal affairs real quick, and then you have me all to yourself. Stand down, Guards."

"Princess, are you sure about that?" The Guard asked. "Twilight Sparkle does not seem … stable right now. You can't give her what she wants, so how will she react to that?" Twilight heard what he said and seemed shocked.

"Oh, it's no trouble." Celestia assured him. "I know a spell."

"What – really?" The Guard asked. "A spell? How?"

"Well, when I was a teenager, I had some advisers who wanted me to be prepared for every potential emergency and crisis. One of which was 'What if every cow in Equestra suddenly stops producing milk?' Thus, a lactation spell. Perhaps I should have listened to them more. Leave us. We'll be fine."

"What?" The Guards exclaimed.

"Princess, you can't be serious!"

"I just need to write a note, Twilight Sparkle, and then we can be alone." Celestia went over to her throne, pulling out some parchment and a quill. She wrote something down on it and handed it to one of the Guards. "Take this and be gone."

"Princess!" The Guard exclaimed. "Are you sure about this?" He read the parchment and what Celestia had written.

_GO TO PONYVILLE;_

_FIND TWILIGHT SPARKLE'S FRIENDS _

_FIND ZECORA AND DESCRIBE TO HER WHAT'S HAPPENED._

_SHE'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO._

The Guard looked up at Celestia, who looked back at him with a grave face.

Celestia raised her hand and snapped her fingers, pointing at the door. "Leave us." She repeated.

The Guard nodded, crumpling the parchment in his hand. He bowed. "As you command, Princess." He and his partner left the room.

"Are you ready?" Twilight asked with eager rubbing hands as the Guards left.

"Almost." Celestia's hand glowed with a golden aura. "I still need to cast the spell after all, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia waved the glowing hand over her chest, which, Twilight was happy to notice, was quite massive.

"Ah-ha!" The doors swung open and another Celestia stepped inside"There you are, Twilight Sparkle! I've been looking all over the castle for you."

Twilight and Celestia regarded the imposter with odd looks.

"What … again, really?" The second Celestia asked upon seeing the first. "That's the second time today our plans have been derailed by someone being there when they weren't supposed to! How does this keep happening?"

"I do not know, though perhaps asking me about the flaws in your plan – which are clearly deceitful in nature, if not outright nefarious – is perhaps not the best idea." Celestia said.

"Whatever." The second one said.

"What … two Celestias?" Twilight asked, turning her gaze back and forth between each one.

"Ignore her, Twilight." The second Celestia walked towards Twilight. "I'm the one you really want. I have this nice, big stock, all _just_ for you ..." The second Celestia gestured to her chest.

Twilight turned back to the first Celestia.

"She's clearly an imposter, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia said. "But no, no, you go ahead and suckle her. It will give me a chance to study your technique … perhaps I can offer you a few tips on improvements before you and I get started." Celestia rubbed her chin.

Twilight smiled, delighted at the thought of getting to nurse two Celestias, even if one of them was an imposter. She went towards the fake Celestia. The imposter Celestia disrobed and allowed Twilight Sparkle to suck on her breasts.

"My, my." The imposter Celestia said. "Is Princess Celestia something of a pervert?"

"I meant what I said about giving me a chance to study." The real Celestia began to walk down the steps from her throne. Celestia walked back and forth, observing and making notes as Twilight Sparkle sucked the breasts of her double.

"You seem to be taking the fact your student is nursing your doppelganger rather well." The imposter Celestia said.

"Mm-hmm." Celestia said. "As a ruler of Equestria, I must try to keep my cool."

"Hmm." The imposter Celestia smirked. Twilight Sparkle broke off from her, needing to breath.

"Did you like that, Twilight?" The imposter asked in a teasing voice. "Did you enjoy your meal?"

"Yes … yes, I did." Twilight wiped the milk off her chin with her elbow.

"Well, there's more where that came from." The imposter said.

"I think not." Celestia snapped. "I have been using you for study. You were most helpful. You've helped me to understand the depths of how far Twilight's gone and that she will not stop until she gets the milk she wants. However … now that I understand this ..."

Celestia raised a glowing hand. The imposter Celestia was encased in a golden glow and lifted up into the air.

"I have no further use for you."

At Celestia's command, one of the windows in the room opened up. Celestia flicked her wrist, tossing the imposter out the window with nary a second thought.

Celestia proceed to undress and disrobe for Twilight, exposing her breasts in a black brassiere. "Come here, Twilight Sparkle … no more interruptions." Celestia coaxed Twilight over. "That's it … come closer … closer ..."

Twilight stood in front of her mentor. She took in a deep breath, unable to believe this was really happening.

"Princess?" A Guard entered the room. He reacted about as well could be expected to seeing Twilight Sparkle do what she was doing to Celestia.

"Yes?" Celestia asked.

"Uh ..." The Guard covered his eyes with a hand, leaving a space between his fingers to talk. "We've received word from Twilight's friends that Cadence has apparently suffered a transformation into some sort of … ice queen, or something. She keeps demanding for the heat to go down and for someone to, um … do to her like what you're doing."

Upon hearing Cadence had a transformation and was demanding to be pleased, soon followed after seeing Twilight had been transformed and was demanding to please, some might grow exasperated. Celestia, however, saw the chance to hit two birds with one stone.

"Go to Ponyville and get to Zecora. Explain the situation about Cadence to her, and tell her that there are _two_ she has to cure now. She'll know what you're talking about. Go!"

The Guard nodded and left.

Celestia looked down at Twilight Sparkle, who had closed her eyes as enjoyed sucking the milk out from Celestia's breast.

With her messengers to Zecora, Celestia had everything she needed to get Twilight and Cadence cured. Now all she had to do was wait and wonder how much of Twilight's pleasing she would have to put up with before they came back …

* * *

Shining Armor and Twilight's friends got the message from Celestia. They visited Zecora, grabbing the cures she had whipped up from her, and returned to the Crystal Empire to get Cadence. It took some convincing to get Cadence to leave her iced-over room, but they were successful and on their way to Celestia's throne room now. Though trying to keep Cadence under control was proving to be a chore.

"Why is it so warm? Why?" Cadence demanded, flanked by Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "Did you hear me? _Somebody turn off the heat!_" Cadence turned and flexed her hands, blasting at the wall with a sustained beam of magic, covering it in ice. "That's better."

"Gee ..." Shining Armor bit his lip. "I hope those cures from your friend work ..."

"They'll work. Don't worry." Fluttershy said. "This is Zecora's specialty."

"I still don't understand how this happened to her …" Shining Armor scratched his neck.

"It probably has something to do with Chrysalis's magic during the fight earlier." Rarity said.

"Where are we going?" Cadence demanded.

"Don't worry, Cadence! We're going to take you to someone willing to please you!" Pinkie Pie did a cartwheel, ignoring the awkward stares from passing Guards.

"I would rather have Shining Armor do it … but I guess I'll have to settle." Cadence said.

They arrived at Celestia's throne room and went inside.

Celestia sighed in relief. "You're here. Finally." Celestia pushed Twilight Sparkle off, popping her mouth off Celestia's nub. "Twilight Sparkle, I need a break. But Cadence will be more than happy to give you something to do in the meantime."

"Cadence?" Twilight turned around. While Twilight was looking, Celestia walked away, rubbing herself. Twilight had been at it for so long, she was sore.

"Hello, Twilight." Cadence approached Twilight. "Are you the one who's going to please me?"

"Well, Celestia needs a break, so … I guess I am."

Twilight and Cadence wrapped their arms around and embraced each other.

For Shining Armor, seeing his wife and his sister engage in such an intimate act was awkward in the extreme.

"Blah!" Twilight separated her mouth from Cadence and spit out the slush. "It's so cold ..."

"Oh." Fluttershy giggled. "Of course. How could I forget? Bees don't like it when it's cold."

"Mmm, well, that's too bad." Shining Armor said. "I mean, I was really hoping that Twilight would be to please Cadence for a good, long while – NOW!"

"What?" Twilight struggled to break free as Applejack wrapped her arms around her neck. Shining Armor did the same thing to Cadence.

"Come on, Twi. Snap out of it." Applejack raised up a glass vial filled with a thin red liquid. She popped the cork off and forced the vial to Twilight's lips, pouring the liquid in. Shining Armor had a similar vial which he forced Cadence into drinking. Neither of them let go until Twilight and Cadence had drunk all of the vials' contents.

"That should do it … hopefully." Applejack said. "Assuming these little vials Zecora cooked up work ..."

"Agh ..." Twilight and Cadence stumbled around. They groaned and clutched at their stomachs before falling to the floor. There, they continued to roll around.

Shining Armor moved to comfort his wife, but Applejack grabbed him by the arm and held him back. "Just let 'em be, Shinin' Armor."

Hissing trails of steam were let off by Twilight's and Cadence's bodies. Water flowed out from Cadence and made a puddle on the floor as her transformation was undone, the ice on her body melting away. Twilight's body let out strange, disgusting noises. The stinger on her back rumbled before breaking apart peeling off her body as though she were molting. The rest of the bee-based anatomy wilted up and fell off, leaving Twilight normal again. Cadence was cured, too.

"Um, eww." Shining Armor commented on Twilight's apparent molting.

"Ugh ..." Cadence groaned and pushed herself up. Shining Armor went to help her. "Why am I lying in a puddle?"

"Ugh ..." Twilight groaned and sat upright. "What happened?" This was the first time in almost two days where her mind felt completely free of influence … and she felt hungover.

"A lot." Applejack answered Twilight, helping Twilight up to her feet. "But it's over now and y'all can get some rest."

"Somebody is going to need to clean up this mess." Cadence observed the puddle she left.

"I'll get someone on it." Celestia said.

"I can't believe Twiley wanted to do that to you so bad, Princess ..." Shining Armor said.

"I did _what?_" Twilight yelled. "Oh, Princess Celestia, I'm so sorry! And you, too, Rarity." Rarity was surprised. "Recent events have made me realize lately … I haven't been a very good friend to you. I hope you can forgive me. And you're stronger than we give you credit for."

"Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle. It's fine. All is forgiven." Celestia assured her. "Besides, can you blame her?" Celestia held her chest up, showing off. "They are quite nice, aren't they?"

All of the room burst into chuckles. All of them, except for Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

"What?" Rarity hissed, clawing at the air. "You see Celestia doing this Twilight Sparkle and you laugh, but you so much as hear that I might be doing to the same Rainbow Dash, and you put me under house arrest at the first excuse you get? You're disgusting, Shining Armor, and a hypocrite. But I suppose I should know better." Rarity looked down, rubbing at her shoulder. "I've seen the way all of you look at me. Like I'm … some sort of criminal."

Rarity exited the room. Rainbow Dash went up to the door and stopped to turn around and give them all an angry glare. She followed after Rarity.

Everyone in the room felt awkward and guilty now. They averted each others' gaze, and Shining Armor scratched his head.

"_Shining Armor!_" Celestia snapped.

Shining Armor spun himself around and saw Celestia looking down at him with her teeth bared. She had yet to have the chance to pull her clothes all the way up. Shining Armor had to give Celestia credit; not every woman could look intimidating while half-dressed, but Celestia pulled it off.

"Is there something about the way you've been treating Rarity … that you would like to tell me?"

* * *

Adagio Dazzle groaned and rubbed her head, lifting herself up out of the royal garden's bushes. "That … did not go according to plan." Adagio staggered out from the bushes. She saw she was still wearing her Celestia disguise, so at least the illusion couldn't be dismissed by impact.

Adagio looked around, trying to figure out what her best way out was. She was sure Celestia would tell the Guards to be on the lookout for a doppelganger, so she had a limited window of time to escape before the Guards caught onto her scheme and arrested her.

Adagio heard footsteps coming around the corner.

"Princess Celestia?" A Guard asked. "What are you doing here?"

Adagio thought fast. "Oh, um, hello. I was just admiring the flowers. What are you doing here, um … what was your name again?"

"Flash Sentry." The Guard answered. "I'm on patrol. You know, like my job says?"

"Oh. Well, keep up the good work." Adagio told him.

Flash Sentry turned his head away. "Excuse me for noticing, Princess, but … you seem to be shirtless."

"Oh. Am I?" Adagio Dazzle looked down to see her breasts were still exposed. She grinned, having an idea. "No, no, Flash … it's okay. You can look."

Flash Sentry blushed. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes. In fact, I'm glad I bumped into you … I could use your help."

"With what?"

"I'm just so full right now." Adagio said. "It's so heavy. It's weighing me down! I could use a big, strong man like yourself to relieve the pressure ..."

"Um … Princess ... I'm not so sure Twilight would approve of that …"

"Twilight also wouldn't approve of you letting your Princess go unaided in her time of need." Adagio Dazzle countered. "Think about it. What will she say when she hears that I needed your help, and you didn't provide it?"

"Okay. Fair point." Flash Sentry put his spear down and went over to the Princess. He raised his hands up and paused.

"Go on. It's okay." Adagio said.

Adagio fed him.

"Oh, wow." Flash Sentry pulled his mouth and wiped his chin. "This is really good ..."

"Isn't it?" Adagio told him. "Have some more … help yourself."

Flash Sentry, entranced by the taste, did as she commanded. Adagio wrapped her arms around him and began to guide him away from the castle, continuing to feed him the mind-warping milk as she walked backwards and made her escape from the castle grounds.

* * *

Much later in the day, after night had fallen and the moon had risen, Rarity was sitting on her bed in her house, thinking to herself.

With everything which had gone on since she went out the night before, Rarity had never gotten a chance to confront Rainbow Dash about her suspicion she was cheating on her with Silver Lens. It seemed unlikely, sure, especially after seeing how broken Dash was during her fake defection, but she'd rather hear Dash tell her the truth rather than simply assuming it.

Rarity lifted a hand and clutched her chest. It had been awhile she had anything in it. It felt so empty .. .

Rarity was experiencing something. What was it?

Withdrawal?

Rarity shook her head. No, no, not withdrawal. Withdrawal was for addicts, and she was not an addict.

Rarity reached over to the nightstand by her bed. She pulled out a bowl of the special powder. She idly stirred the spoon in it. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Hi." Coco Pommel peeked her head in the door. "Can I come in?"

"Of course, darling. What do you need?" Rarity put the bowl and spoon away.

Coco Pommel held up a sketchbook. "Well, I had come up with some designs for dresses. I was hoping you could take a look at them and tell me what you think."

"All right." Rarity said. She felt the emptiness in her chest again. It almost felt wrong, having herself so dry. "Coco Pommel, would you …?" Rarity began to pull at her shirt. She was so tempted to ask Coco Pommel to nurse her on the spot.

But after thinking for a moment, Rarity thought better of it. Just because she thought Rainbow Dash might have been cheating didn't mean she should go and cheat on Dash.

"Would I?" Coco Pommel asked.

"Never mind. It's nothing." Rarity said. "Here, let me look at those designs ..." Rarity took the sketchbook and flipped through it. "Why, Coco Pommel … these all look lovely." She smiled, closing the book and handing it back to Coco.

"You think?" Coco Pommel asked. "Maybe if they're good enough, I can start up my own business! You know … get my own place … get out of your hair. I imagine you don't want me around for too much longer ..."

"You take as long as you need to get back on your feet." Rarity said. "You are always welcome here."

"Really? Thanks!" Coco Pommel gave Rarity a hug. "But, um, really. I'm working hard so I can get something set up. I am!"

"I believe you, darling."

Coco Pommel separated from Rarity. "Well, good night!" She went out the door and down the hall, almost bumping into Diamond Tiara. "Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me."

"Eesh, Rarity." Diamond Tiara stopped in Rarity's bedroom doorway. "Is this a boutique or a homeless shelter?"

"I don't know." Rarity answered. "Perhaps I need to get an extension to the building . Where are you going?"

"I was just on my way to brush my teeth." Diamond Tiara said. "Why? Do you … need something?" Rarity could sense Diamond was struggling with being polite.

"Actually, yes. I could use someone to talk to." Rarity swung her legs over the bed. "Perhaps you're not the best person to ask for this, but … what would you do, if you thought someone had done something that would upset you severely? That would just make you so mad, mad beyond compare? But you can't just ask that someone about it because you're afraid it will hurt their feelings?"

Diamond Tiara scratched her head. "I don't know. I do know that when I get really mad at my dad, or if he's about to tell me something that will make me upset, he'll try to calm me down or butter me up with a gift."

Rarity raised a hand to her chin. "That's … not actually a bad idea. Thank you, Diamond Tiara. That will be all."

"Glad I could help?" Diamond Tiara said with a bit of confusion.

Rarity decided what her plan would be. She reached over and dug the powder out from her nightstand. She was going to need _several_ spoonfuls for her plan to work …

Rarity spent the next hour in the bathroom. Yes, it was going to take her a whole of work and effort, but it was going to be worth it.

Sweetie Belle was passing by the bathroom when she heard grunting coming from inside. "Rarity?" Sweetie Belle pressed her ear to the door. "Are you in there? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sweetie Belle."

"Uh-huh." Sweetie Belle put a hand on the doorknob and opened the door by an inch.

"No, no, don't come in right now!" Rarity yelled. "I don't want you to see me like this. Actually, while you're out there, would you go and get me Rainbow Dash?"

"Sure." Sweetie Belle left and got Rainbow Dash. "Rarity wants to see you." Sweetie Belle brought Dash to the bathroom door and left, minding Rarity's words about not wanting to be seen by her.

"Hmm." Rainbow Dash wondered what Rarity was up to. She pushed open the door and went inside. What she found went way beyond anything she was expecting.

"Hello, darling."

Rarity was sitting in a tub full of milk, having drawn up a milk bath. Bubbles swam around on the white liquid's surface. Rarity herself sat in the tub, covered in a white sheen of milk. It dripped down her body, trailing down her shoulders, her chin, her stomach, and her breasts. Some of it traveled down her breasts before dripping off the ends of her milky-white …

"I'll give you a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor." Rarity winked.

"Yeah … I … uh … uh." Rainbow Dash was taken off-guard, but Rarity could tell she was delighted. Rainbow Dash grabbed her chin and pushed her jaw back into place. "I, uh, it … wow. That is … really sexy."

"I thought you'd like it." Rarity smiled and waved a hand, inviting Rainbow Dash in.

She didn't go for it.

"Rainbow Dash ..." Rarity crossed her arms, leaning on the side of the tub. "I'm not sitting in this tub _drenched_ in milk because I'm posing for a _modern art project_. Are you coming in or not?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah." Rainbow Dash said. "Um, can you wait just one second? I need to go do something ..."

"Very well."

"I'll be right there." Rainbow Dash closed the door.

Rarity was baffled. This was Rainbow Dash's cup of tea. She should have went for it Rarity could tell it aroused her and pleased her. She should have jumped right in as soon as Rarity made the offer. So why didn't she?

Rainbow Dash came back. "Sorry about that. Uh, personal stuff."

"Uh-huh." Rarity didn't believe it, but she was going to press the issue now. It would ruin the moment.

After consummating and showering to clean themselves off, while Rainbow Dash was running a towel through her hair, Rarity's mind went back to what Rainbow Dash did before joining her. She decided to ask the question.

"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash wrapped the towel around her shoulders.

"Have you been … cheating on me?"

"What?" Rainbow Dash put a hand on her chest. "No. _No!_" Rainbow Dash put a hand on Rarity's cheek. "Rarity, no matter how bad things ever got between us, I would never cheat on you. I've got that whole "loyalty' thing, remember? Why- why would you even ask that?"

"Last night." Rarity said. "You came home with Silver Lens, and you seemed so … depressed about something. I guess I just assumed the worst."

"Oh." Rainbow Dash's mood became deflated. "That. Yeah … hey, who asks that kind of question _after_ having sex with their partner? Who does that?"

"I suppose I do." Rarity said. "Before you got into the bath with me, you said you had to go something personal. What was it?"

Rainbow Dash looked away.

"I … went to ask Silver Lens if it was okay."

"What?" Rarity shook her head, trying to process this. "You just told me you weren't cheating on me! So why in the wide-wide world of Equestria would you need Silver Lens' permission to take a milk bath with me?"

Rainbow Dash withdrew her hand. "It's, um … a little … embarrassing. I think you go ask her.." Rainbow Dash opened the door and gestured for Rarity to go through.

Rarity marched out the window. Rainbow Dash could feel her anger burning from a foot away.

They caught up with Silver Lens, who was talking with Diamond Tiara at the table.

"Oh boy." Silver Lens saw Rarity's expression and sent Diamond Tiara. "Diamond Tiara, why don't you go elsewhere for a moment? Rarity and I need to talk ..." After Diamond Tiara got up and left, Silver Lens turned to Rarity. "Hello, Rarity. What is it?"

"Hello, Silver Lens." Rarity answered. "I'm curious about something … in my worry and fear, I had thought Rainbow Dash might have been cheating on me … with you, after you two came home one night and Dash looked depressed, as if she just done something she didn't want to. Rainbow Dash assures this is not the case. So I'm curious … if she's not cheating on me, why your approval should matter at all before she's allowed to join me for a milk bath in the tub! Care to explain?"

Silver Lens adjusted her glasses. "If you know where we'd been, you understand."

"And where have you been?" Rarity asked.

"I … think it would be better for Rainbow Dash to tell you herself." Silver Lens said. Rarity thought she was trying to be tactful, but there was also a note of fear in her voice.

Rarity turned to Rainbow Dash for an explanation. "Well, Rainbow Dash? Where has she been taking you?"

Rainbow Dash was shy and bashful before answering.

"A support group." Rainbow Dash answered. "A support group for addicts. That's where she's been taking me."

"Addicts …?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash said. "I didn't believe Silver Lens at first either, but she badgered me until I agreed to go. Then when I got there, and heard what they all had to say … I realized she was right. That's why I needed to make sure it was okay with Silver Lens before jumping in … to be sure a little indulgence was okay."

"You should try it sometime, Rarity." Silver Lens said. "Having an … interesting sex life with your breast milk is okay, but you and Rainbow Dash take it way too far."

"No, thank you." Rarity crossed her arms. "Support groups are for people who have problems. _I_ do not have a problem. It's _everyone else_ who has the problem!"

"You keep telling yourself that ..." Silver Lens said.

Rarity growled.

"Silver Lens? At your earliest convenience … _get out of my house._"

"Believe me, I would like nothing better." Silver Lens said. "But I can't go until either Shining Armor sees fit, or I declare you mentally sound, which we both know would be lying."

Rarity growled again and turned away, marching out of the room.

"Oh, hey." Rainbow Dash reached for Rarity. "Don't forget Pinkie Pie's throwing that anniversary of the Slime party tomorrow."

Rarity stopped and rested her hand on the door frame. She looked back to Rainbow Dash.

"I haven't forgotten."

Rarity continued on her way, going upstairs and to her bed.

"You've lived together a long time, haven't you?" Silver Lens asked.

Rainbow Dash was unprepared for the question. "Yeah. Why?"

"Do you think she'll come around?"

"I don't know. I mean, she might … but she can be pretty stubborn." Rainbow Dash said.

"I think it might help her mental state if you were to consider … normalizing your relationship." Silver Lens said.

"What do you mean by that?"

"She's right, you know."

Rainbow Dash looked up to see Sweetie Belle in the doorway.

"You're practically a big sister to me." Sweetie Belle said. "You've more or less effectively moved in. Don't you think it's time you consider making it official?"

"Official?" Rainbow Dash thought about this. After a moment, she nodded, agreeing with Sweetie Belle. "Yeah, yeah, you're right."

* * *

The next day, everyone in Ponyville, including Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy, gathered around Rarity's boutique, as it was where Pinkie Pie had decided to host the anniversary party. Pinkie had breathed a touch of life to it; there was balloons and streamers and confetti, punch and cake set up on tables. A banner was hung up reading "10th Anniversary" though tactfully not mentioning what it was a tenth anniversary _of._

"Wow." A woman told Pinkie Pie. "This is a nice party, Pinkie Pie."

"Thank you!" Pinkie Pie said. "I got Discord's help to make sure it was a good one!"

The woman and her companion, hearing this, looked down at their cups full of punch. They reconsidered how good of an idea drinking the punch might have been, knowing Discord was involved.

"Okay. Attention!" Pinkie Pie walked the center of the room. She clinked a spoon against a cup, calling for attention. She continued until the room was silence. "Your attention, everyone! I have an announcement to make."

"As you know ..." Pinkie Pie said. "Today is the tenth anniversary of when, ten years ago today, the awful creature known as the Pipe Slime attacked Ponyville. This party is to commenerate that."

The guests hung up their heads in silence, closing their eyes as they remembered what a dark it was.

"But! With Discord's help, I intend this anniversary party to be a thing of joy, not of depression."

Discord, standing the corner, used his magic to produce DJ sunglasses and a record table. He laid out a beat.

"Like my sister Maud says in one of her famous poems ..." Pinkie continued. "'Let us not lament the fact we were attacked. Let us _celebrate_ the fact that we _survived._"

The room burst into applause.

"Well said, Pinkie Pie." Twilight clapped.

"I read that poem, actually. She was talking about erosion." Fluttershy said.

"So, with that said … are you ready to PARTY!?" Pinkie Pie screamed. The crowd let out a cheer.

"Okay, okay." Rainbow Dash tapped a spoon and glass together. "Now I have something I want to say before I get too much alcohol and nobody takes me seriously." The crowd chuckled. "Specifically, I have a message for Rarity."

Rarity felt awkward as the entire crowd turned its gaze on her.

"Rarity Belle ..." Rainbow Dash said. "For the last ten years, I have been more or less living with you, under your roof. I've gotten to know you and your sister. I've learned your habits. I've learned how to read you and how to live with you. For a while there ..." Rainbow Dash walked around. "We tried to keep this relationship a secret. We were afraid our friends would react badly if they found out and would get – what's the word? - _alienated_ from us. But … in doing so … we caused the very thing we were afraid of and almost lost our friends. But we're better now. All our friends known, and our relationship doesn't have to be a secret anymore."

Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Twilight and Rarity were moved to tears. Even Rainbow Dash was affected as saying the words aloud made her realize how much weight there was to them.

"Rarity … you are one of the most generous, giving souls I know." Rainbow Dash said. "You're smart. You're fashionable, and we may not always realize it, but you're tough. Not to mention one of the most beautiful, gorgeous … _sexiest_ woman on the western half of Equestria."

"Only the western half?" Rarity said. "But do go on, darling."

"Rarity …despite, you know, a few ups and downs, living you with you has been a wonderful experience. That's why I want to say this. Rarity Belle, under the providence of Celestia and the laws that govern Equestria ..."

Rainbow Dash got on one knee, holding up a dark blue box, opening it to reveal a ring.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Caustic"**

**I knew this chapter was long, but it's only after re-reading before publication do I realize it's kind of all over the place, isn't it?**

**Cadence turning into this "Ice Queen" creature was something I've been wanting to get to for awhile. One of many things driving me to write this story is explore alternate versions of lactation, which I may have mentioned before. Cadence, being ruler of the Crystal Empire, having an ice-themed transformation and lactation just made sense.**

**In an early plan for the chapter, Chrysalis was going to attack the Crystal Empire with Rarity and Applejack still seemingly-on her side, which would have made a bit more sense for Chrysalis to attack when she had Rarity as a source of information, rather than after losing Rarity. But this idea, and the scene where Adagio Dazzle tried to tempt Rarity into truthfully joining Chrysalis' side, couldn't co-exist, and I like the latter scene more.**

**Update: This chapter has been long delayed from being put onto Fanfiction, after it was already up on Fimfic. This is because I kept putting off censoring this fic for Fanfiction, as I've discussed before, and on the enormous list of everything I wanted to get done, putting up a half-baked version of this chapter on this site seem a very low priority. But I'm getting around to it now.**

**As always, you can check the Fimfic version to see all the raunchy scenes which cut or edited in their full, real form.**


	7. Inoculation

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 7**

**Inoculation**

* * *

The entire room was dead silent.

"Rainbow Dash ..." Rarity put a hand over her chest, right where her heart was. "I don't know what to say!"

"Uh," Pinkie made her way out from the crowd. "You could try "YES!" for starters!" This idea was met by approval and applause from the crowd.

Rarity took the box from Rainbow Dash. She picked the ring out from the box and examined it. "It's beautiful ..."

"Uh-huh." Rainbow Dash nodded.

Rarity examined the ring in silence, rolling it around in her fingers.

"Rarity." Rainbow Dash said through a grin which was becoming more forced and faltered. "You're not saying anything."

"I … I don't know, Rainbow Dash." Rarity cupped the ring in her palms. This was met by groans in the crowd.

"WHAT?" Pinkie Pie shouted. "But you love each other!"

"Rarity?" Rainbow Dash said. She said nothing else; the devastation forming in her eyes spoke all she needed to say.

"I want to, Rainbow Dash. But I'm just not sure it's the best idea right now. Things are complicated with Diamond Tiara and Silver Lens, not to mention that awful slime is still loose … I just don't think a wedding is safe right now."

"Of course it's not safe!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "It's never safe! Things are always complicated!" Rainbow Dash took Rarity's hand, curling her fingers around it. "But you can't let that stop you from doing what you want to. Especially when it comes to the person that you love."

The crowd let out a collective "Aww!" of adoration.

"You know ..." Pinkie Pie said. "You could yes now, and then just set the wedding for a later date after all this stuff is sorted out."

"That is an excellent point!" Twilight Sparkle interjected.

Rarity held the ring up in her fingers, rolling it between them. "She's right. I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. I should have done this from the beginning, and I shouldn't have let all my worries and fears come between us."

Rarity took in a deep breath, holding the ring close to her chest.

"Yes, Rainbow Dash." A tear formed in Rarity's eye. "I will marry you."

The crowd burst into applause, which only doubled as Rainbow Dash took the ring from Rarity, and gently slid it on to Rarity's finger. Rainbow Dash held Rarity's hand for a tender moments, admiring the wedding ring – the wedding ring _she_ had placed on Rarity's finger.

Rarity admired the ring as well, for a few moments, taking notes about its construction and the diamond on it. Rarity disregarded it in favor of grabbing Rainbow Dash by the cheeks and lifting her head up, giving Rainbow Dash a big kiss on the lips.

The crowd went wild.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity continued to kiss with all the passion in their flaming hearts, sliding back and forth on the chair, pushing each other back as they wrestled for dominance. They fell off, Rainbow Dash landing on the floor with Rarity on top of her, Rarity's large breasts crushing Rainbow Dash's tiny-in-comparison chest. A feeling which Rainbow Dash loved – it made her feel so … _inferior_ to Rarity; So _controllable_, like she needed Rarity to teach her what a proper woman was like by pressing her breasts against her Dash's and showing Dash all the tricks in the bedroom a proper lady was expected to know.

Granted, the embarrassed blush Rainbow Dash had suggested she might not have liked this as much in front of the crowd, who had gone from their previous stunned silence into an awkward silence. Some of them turned their heads and separated from Rainbow Dash, pushing herself up. "Why don't we take this to another room?"

"Make way for the happy couple!" Pinkie began shooing the crowd away, but they needed no coaxing to depart and allow Rarity and Rainbow Dash the room go upstairs to their bedroom.

"Rarity and Rainbow Dash decide they're going to get married … and of course they celebrate it with sex." Twilight shook her head.

"Um, well, Twilight … just because it's not the most, um, _seemly_ way to celebrate getting engaged, that doesn't make it … _wrong_, does it?" Fluttershy said, taking Rarity's side.

"Yeah." Applejack said. "Y'all don't think Shining Armor and Cadence never -"

"I'm gonna stop you right there." Twilight held out her hand. "Just out of curiosity, what would be a 'wrong' way to celebrate getting engaged, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy thought about it. "Cheating on your partner."

The girls burst into laughter.

"Well … I guess I can't argue with that." Twilight said. She raised her glass of punch. "Bottoms up, to our newly engaged friends."

"To our newly engaged friends." Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, and Twilight clinked their glasses together and took a swig.

Upstairs, Rarity closed and locked the door to her room. For her part, she was eager to put Rainbow Dash back in the position she belonged;

In Rarity's bed, submitting.

* * *

Shining Armor grumbled and muttered as he took a brush to the latrine in the castle's lavatory, while Cadence watched, in part to keep him company, in part to watch over him and made sure he finished the job.

"Ugh." Shining Armor groaned, pulling the brush away from the bowl and being disgusted by the dark-colored goop dripping off its bristles. "I don't understand why Celestia is making me clean up all the restrooms."

"Well, you kinda trample all over Rarity's rights as a person to privacy and due process. That really upset Celestia." Cadence said. "I understand you being suspicious after the slime incident, and the fact that there's another slime running about, but you still went over the line, Shining."

"Yeah, but after what she did -"

Cadence narrowed her eyes and growled at him. "_Mrmm._"

Shining Armor sighed and went back to scrubbing.

* * *

Silver Lens walked up to Fluttershy's cottage. She stopped and ran her hand over her clothes, making sure they were prim and proper before knocking on the door.

The door was opened not by Fluttershy, but by Discord. "Can I help you?"

"Er, yes." Silver Lens said. "I was hoping to get to talk to Fluttershy?"

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Discord moved aside and gestured for her to come inside. "Come in, come in."

Silver Lens entered the building, where Fluttershy was pouring tea on the table.

"Silver Lens! What are you doing here?" Fluttershy asked. "We were just about to have tea. Um, I made it for myself and Discord, but we can share if you want some, and … I can make more if I need to." She ran a hand through her hair.

"That would be lovely, thank you."

Silver Lens pulled out a seat while Fluttershy poured out tea for all of them. Discord, floating on the air, floated by and angrily snatched up his cup and saucer, glaring at Silver Lens and proceeding to float around the table in circles.

"So, what brings you around here?" Fluttershy asked. "Aren't you supposed to be, um, observing Rarity?"

"I figured Rarity could use a little break from me." Silver Lens took a sip of her tea.

"This isn't supposed to be some sort of … free complementary counseling session, is it?" Fluttershy asked, holding her cup up.

"No. Well, maybe." Silver Lens said.

"Oh. Well, I don't I have anything I really need to talk about …" Fluttershy shifted her head to hide her face behind her hair. As she did. "But I appreciate you coming by to check on me. That's a very generous and caring of you."

Silver Lens let out an airy laugh. "Thank you, Fluttershy. It's good to hear at least someone understands the value of talking to a counselor … that's something Rarity could stand to learn, especially given your … shared addiction."

Fluttershy perked up, shaking her hair out of her face so she could focus on Silver Lens.

Discord raised a piqued eyebrow. "This should be interesting." He muttered.

"Addiction? What are you talking about?"

Silver Lens sipped her tea. "Why … your addiction to breastfeeding, of course."

"What - addiction? That's not an addiction." Fluttershy rubbed her shoulder. "I mean, just because I happen to like being nursed on, that doesn't make it an addiction …"

Silver Lens waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, Fluttershy, I understand you trying to hide it, but you don't need to hide it from me. There is no reason to be ashamed."

"Ashamed!?" Fluttershy narrowed her eyes,

"Just because Rarity doesn't acknowledge it as an addiction, doesn't mean you shouldn't." As she continued to talk, Silver Lens didn't notice Fluttershy get increasingly angrier, tapping her fingers on the table and balling up a fist. "Your solidarity for your friend is commendable, really, but there's no reason to suffer just because she is. With my expert treatment plan, you can get the help you need and be free of this terrible, infectious addiction."

Fluttershy gently set her cup down. She slammed her hands on the table and stood up, startling Silver Lens. "Would you like some?"

"W-what?" Silver Lens adjusted her glasses.

"Would you … like … to try some … of my milk?" Fluttershy asked, speaking in slow, deliberate pauses. When she was done speaking, she gave Silver Lens an unnerving, psychotic grin, her fingers clawing into the table.

Silver Lens looked around, not sure what to say in response. How many responses were there for when someone for this situation?

Silver Lens' eyes were drawn to Discord, who floated behind Fluttershy with a worried expression. He held up a wooden sign, with black letters reading "YOU SHOULD GO NOW. I DON'T NORMALLY SEE HER THIS UPSET."

"Uh … why don't I just finish my tea and leave?" Silver Lens chuckled nervously, lifting the cup to her mouth and proceeding to drink the rest of her tea in one gulp.

Fluttershy seemed to calm down, easing herself back into her seat. "Yes. I think that would be a good idea." She confidently lifted her own teacup up and sipped, keeping a knowing eye on Silver Lens.

Silver Lens put the empty tea cup down on the saucer, then dashed out the door.

"Huh. I wonder what all that was about." Fluttershy sipped her tea.

"I don't know." Discord said with a tone of false innocence, floating by Fluttershy. The two of them shared glances and broke into laughter, each of them knowing exactly what had gone on.

* * *

Silver Lens walked along on Ponyville's path, holding her clipboard to her chest and wondering where she had went wrong with Fluttershy. Was it wrong of her to want to try treat her patient's illnesses? Or was something more going on? Something she couldn't - wouldn't let herself see.

_Maybe she really IS just enjoying it,_ thought Silver Lens.

Of course, where else would she wander than by Carousel Boutique, when who else should she bump into but Harshwhinny? Silver Lens bumped her forehead onto Harshwhinny's shoulder, her eyes too focused on the ground to notice Harshwhinny.

"Oh. Sorry, Inspector." Silver Lens separated herself, rubbing her forehead. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"Never mind that." Harshwhinny crossed her arms. "It's been four days since you said you would put Rarity under observation. What has been you conclusion, doctor?"

"Uh … oh." Silver Lens adjusted her glasses, caught off guard. "Well … I can definitely say ..."

"Yes?"

Silver Lens thought to when Rarity was stabbing a milk carton with a knife.

"She's _unstable._" Silver Lens said.

"Perfect." Harshwhinny pumped a fist. "That should be all the excuse we need to lock her behind bars where she can't hurt anyone. Shining Armor will be so happy. You go contact Shining Armor and Princess Twilight. I'll stay here and make sure Rarity doesn't go anywhere. Go!" Harshwhinny pushed Silver Lens away.

Silver Lens stumbled and fixed her misplaced glasses.

Harshwhinny noticed Silver Lens wasn't moving. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

"Inspector, I'm not sure what you're planning to do is in everyone's best interests." Silver Lens said. "It almost sounds like you want to arrest Rarity, and I don't think …"

"Shining Armor and I will decide what is in everyone's best interests." Harshwhinny pointed her finger. "Now go!"

Silver Lens nodded and left.

Sometime later, Silver Lens, Harshwhinny, Shining Armor, and Twilight Sparkle were present and gathered outside Rarity's house.

"Okay, Harshwhinny." Twilight rubbed her head in exasperation. "You brought us all here. What do you need us for?"

"I'm glad you arrived. After consulting with Silver Lens, it is my professional opinion that Rarity Belle should be placed under arrest for the safety of everyone in Ponyville, especially her friends and family."

Twilight's eyes widened. She calmed down and glared at Shining Armor, placing her hands on her hips. "Did you put her up to this?"

"No! Maybe. Kind of." Shining Armor said.

Twilight crossed her arms. "I'm not convinced Rarity needs to be arrested for anyone's sake."

"Then perhaps we should go inside." Harshwhinny said with a smirk, twisting the doorknob to Rarity's house. "I'm sure, if we barge in unannounced, we'll find her off her guard and doing something which proves her … instability." Harshwhinny glared at Silver Lens, who hid her face behind her clipboard.

"Mmm." Twilight wasn't too sold on the idea, finding it questionable, but said nothing and joined them in going inside, hoping to keep the situation from getting out of hand.

Upstairs in Rarity's bedroom, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were lying on their bed in the opposite direction of each other, fully garbed, with Rarity resting her head the foot of the bed and Rainbow Dash having her head propped against a pillow, looking up at the ceiling.

Rarity raised a hand up, examining her nails. "What were you thinking for the venue?"

Dash brought her head down. "Venue?"

"Well, of course." Rarity placed her hand down and rolled over to face Dash. "Just because we're going to wait until things are a bit calmer around here before we do it doesn't mean we can't start planning for the wedding."

"Hmm." Dash pursed her lips. "How about Cloudsdale?"

Rarity glared. "Now, darling, you know that would be inconvenient for some of our friends, not to mention the staff. The photographer, the D.J., … we will hire the same people who Cadence used, won't we?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Eh. I don't know. We could just elope."

Rarity chortled. "That would be romantic, wouldn't it? And it would help us get away from a few … unpleasant acquaintances. But no, I don't think it would be practical. Despite everything, I do still have a reputation and a business to run. I don't think I could rebuild that from scratch if I had to start from the ground up ..."

The door clicked.

Rarity stood up from the bed while Rainbow Dash leaned forward.

"Now who could that be?" Rarity asked. "I wasn't expecting any company today."

The door opened, and Harshwhinny stood in the hallway, a serious expression on her face.

"Ah, yes. Harshwhinny." Rarity crossed her arms. "One of the several people who have made it their solitary focus to make my life miserable. What can I do for you today?"

For a moment, Rarity thought she saw Harshwhinny flex a satisfied smirk, but it went away as quickly as it appeared. Harshwhinny entered the room, followed by Silver Lens, Shining Armor, and Twilight Sparkle.

"You know, it's rude to enter someone's bedroom uninvited." Rarity said to Harshwhinny before turning to the rest of Harshwhinny's company. Rarity placed a hand over her face, gritting her teeth. "Oh, great. Just great. What do you want? What you all here for?"

Twilight rubbed her hands together. "Rarity, we've ... heard a few things, and we're concerned about you."

"Forget that!" Shining Armor said. "We're here to take you down and settle this, once and for all."

"Oh, is that it?" Rarity raised an eyebrow while Rainbow Dash got up from the bed and pounded a fist into her palm, getting ready to fight.

"Is that what this is about?" Rarity asked. "Your little feud, your grudge against me? You're not even bothering with trying to come up with a flimsy excuse about following some protocol or procedure? Just here to arrest me because you don't trust me, and that's that?"

"No!" Twilight said. "No, it's not like that!" She glared at Shining Armor. "Is it?"

Shining Armor grit his teeth, breaking a sweat under Twilight's glare.

"I doubt Princess Celestia will be very happy about this." Rarity said. "I heard she made you scrub the latrines. Maybe after this mess, she'll wise up and just flush you down one of them and get a captain who will actually do his job competently instead of chasing ghosts and vendettas!"

Shining Armor rose his finger to say something, but was cut off by Harshwhinny.

"We have more than sufficient reason to place you under arrest, Miss Belle." Harshwhinny said.

"How? Name one thing I've done since the last time you were that justifies my arrest." Rarity said.

"Permitting a tenant to squat without paying rent …" Harshwhinny said, counting off on her fingers.

"Are you … are you talking about Coco Pommel?" Rarity asked, taken aback. "This is _my house_, and I will allow who I want to live here, with or without rent, thank you very much!"

"Keeping a child here against their will …"

"I don't know what Suri fed you, but Diamond Tiara is here of her own volition."

"Exposing a minor to sexual content …"

Rarity's eyes shifted around. "I'm afraid I don't remember that one. Explain."

"There was a recent occasion where your sister Sweetie Belle had developed lactation in her chest." Harshwhinny said. "The reports suggest she accomplished by using a special lactation powder in your possession."

"Sweetie Belle did that despite my wishes, not because of them." Rarity pointed an accusatory finger. "And how do you know all of this anyway? How much does Silver Lens really report to all of you?" Rarity narrowed her eyes at Harshwhinny. "Have you been … spying on me?"

"I am not the one on trial here." Harshwhinny said. "And my methods are all above board."

"Yes, of course. Because it's not like Shining Armor would authorize unsolicited monitoring of me without due cause - OH WAIT! That was exactly what he did." Rarity flexed her leg, rubbing the area which she had a tracking bracelet on until recent events.

"Rarity …" Shining Armor said.

"Hold on!" Twilight Sparkle said, stomping her foot. "If you or Harshwhinny have been spying on my friend, then I think I have a right to know! She has a right to know!"

"Twily …" Shining Armor said. "I know you might not understand this, but … it's for the best."

"Not understand what? That my paranoid brother hasn't forgiven my friend Rarity for something she did ten years ago, and thinks it would be better to lock her up and throw away the key instead of giving her the chance to prove herself and redeem herself? In fact, I'd say she's already shown several attempts at redeeming herself, and you're just ignoring them because they don't match with your pre-conceived narrative of her as this criminal mastermind!"

"Thank you, Twilight Sparkle." Rarity said. "It's nice to know at least someone is on my side." She gave a pointed glare at Silver Lens. "Really? Nothing? Not even a word?"

Silver Lens meekly hid behind her clipboard.

Shining Armor sighed. "Rarity, I have a question."

"What?" Rarity asked.

"Where's the book?"

"What book?"

"The book." Shining Armor said. "The book with the monsters in it. The one you took from Chrysalis."

Rarity smirked. "I hid it."

"Okay. Where?"

"I'm not telling you." Rarity said.

"What? Why not? Rarity, that book is dangerous!" Shining Armor snapped.

"Indeed it is." Rarity said.

"Rarity … why would you even want to keep that book?" Twilight asked. "After everything its contents did to you …"

"Oh, gee." Rarity said, tapping a finger to her chin. "Now why would I want to keep something that the Captain of the Guard, who has been hounding me and harassing me, is afraid of? It couldn't possibly be for leverage, could it? Something to threaten him with and make him back off? Hmm?"

"She's making an implicit threat against the Captain." Harshwhinny said. "What are we waiting for? Arrest her now!"

"She's describing a _hypothetical situation_, and I don't appreciate your insistence that we arrest her." Twilight Sparkle said. "Frankly, if this is how she's going to be treated, then for all I care, she can keep the book!"

"Rarity has shown a history of lying and manipulation." Harshwhinny said.

"Yeah, but that hardly proves she needs to be kept in a cell!" Twilight said. "How would you like it if you told one little untruth, and suddenly everyone in the Royal Guard seemed to want you arrested for something you didn't even do?"

"She's still shown signs of mental unwellness." Harshwhinny said. "Silver Lens, didn't you say she stabbed a milk carton?"

"That only proves she needs to be in an asylum, or at least on some medication, not in jail!"

"Twily …" Shining Armor said.

Twilight held out a hand for Shining Armor to hush.

"Rarity, step away from the window."

Rarity had moved to the window, and had one leg out the window, her thigh exposed.

"Why should I?" Rarity asked with a bored expression. "I thought we were past this. I thought we were finally at the point where I would be allowed to make amends. But what's the point? It's clear to me now that … none of you are ever going to forgive me. None of you are ever going to trust me again. You'll keep coming back. You'll keep hounding me. You'll keep going, because you've constructed all these narratives in your head that I'm somehow the villain, that I did wrong, or that I'm at least not well enough to be trusted by myself. And if that's the case … if I'm going to be hunted for the rest of my days, always looking over my shoulder, targeted by the head of the very system swore to uphold justice ... "

Rarity looked out the window.

"What's even the point of living?"

Rarity fell forward, throwing herself out the window, everyone else in the room in too much shock to stop her, even as Twilight reached her hands out.

"NO!" Rainbow Dash shouted, jumping towards the door with her wings flared.

Rarity's leg hit against the tile of the roof first, bouncing and displacing shingles. The rest of her body follow, sliding against the roof. She got as far as up to her waist on the roof before Rainbow Dash grabbed her by the arm and kept her from falling any further.

"I got'cha." Rainbow Dash cried desperately, pulling Rarity up. "I got'cha."

Rarity closed her eyes, letting out a groan and shaking her head as she was hoisted back into the bedroom. Rainbow Dash adjusted Rarity's body and carried her, bridal-style, over to her bed.

"You're safe now." Rainbow Dash set Rarity down, stretching her across her bed. "You hear me? You're safe now."

Twilight Sparkle clapped her hands and turned towards everyone else. "Okay, everyone out. Let the lovers have a private moment."

"Twily, she just tried to jump out a window -!"

Twilight gave a murderous glare which made very clear, that if anyone said one more word in protest, she would not hesitate to subject them to long, slow, torturous and painful deaths.

Cowed, Shining Armor, Harshwhinny, and Silver Lens went out the room.

"You." Twilight grabbed Harshwhinny by the collar. "Later, I want to have a talk with you." She pushed Harshwhinny aside before guiding Harshwhinny and the rest down the stairs.

Rarity continued to groan, while Rainbow Dash held her hand.

"Ooh …" Rarity brought up one hand to her face. "Why did I do that? … _Why_ did I do_ that?_ Sweetie Belle still needs me. Oh! And we were going to get _married._ I'm so sorry, Rainbow Dash … I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's okay." Rainbow Dash said. "I forgive you."

"Ugh … " Rarity removed her hand and looked down at her body. "I think my leg is broken … and my arm."

"It's okay." Rainbow Dash tried to assure her. "It's okay. The doctors will fix it. They have all kinds of magic in the hospital. We'll get you fixed up, okay?"

Rainbow Dash got up to get the paramedics, but Rarity grabbed her by the wrist.

"Rainbow Dash … don't leave me."

Rainbow sat back down, wrapping her hands around Rarity's hand. "I won't, okay? I'll be right here, and I'll stay as long as you need me to. I'm … sure Twilight's going to get help anyway."

"Mmm. Rainbow Dash?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry …" Rarity closed her eyes and rolled her head away.

"I know." Rainbow Dash rubbed Rarity's hand tenderly. "I know. You said that already."

"I'm sorry …" Rarity repeated again. She repeated herself again and again, deliriously apologizing over and over …

Until, to Rainbow Dash's surprise, Cadence entered the room.

* * *

"Ugh …" Rarity groaned, waking up in a room she didn't recognize. She looked around and saw the window had been boarded up, with planks nailed into it. Her right arm was in a sling, and she looked to the left and saw Cadence sitting by her bed on a stool.

"Hey there." Cadence said with a smile. "I'll … bet you're wondering where you are, aren't you?"

Rarity looked around the room again. "The Crystal Castle."

Cadence nodded. "After you … jumped, Twilight got me. I brought you here and the surgeons here fixed you, and then brought you here while you healed. I'm going to be placing you under mental institution watch while you recover both physically and mentally."

"Mental institution watch?" Rarity sat upright, wincing and regretting her decision, clutching at her arm. "Ow. Cadence, you can't do that! I don't need to be under watch!"

"Rarity, you tried to jump out a window."

Rarity bit her lip. She sunk back under her covers.

"I … suppose it wouldn't hurt to rest for a few days."

"Glad we understand each other." Cadence said with a smirk before getting up and leaving. "We'll be locking the door when we leave. The orderlies will come by and check on you regularly. If there's anything you need, just let us know."

Rarity nodded.

Cadence smiled and shut the door, and Rarity could hear the click of the latch as Cadence locked it.

Rarity rested her back against the wall. She began to reflect on her actions. What had driven to such a point? What had compelled her, urged her, to take a drastic measure? What had convinced her it was a good idea?

Rarity turned her head towards the window. For a moment, she thought about going over and inspecting the boarding to see if there was a weak point she could exploit and use to escape this place and Cadence's watch.

Her arm burned. Rarity rubbed at the tingling skin around her wrist, her flesh remembering what happened, still able to feel the scraping of the shingles against her skin … the bruises … the desperate clutch of Rainbow Dash's hand as she tried her hardest to keep Rarity from plummeting to her doom.

Rarity looked away from the window. She continued to rub her wrist.

"Guard?"

A Guard poked his head through the door with a cautious, neutral face.

Rarity gave him a warming smile to assure him she would do him no harm, but knowing Rarity's reputation for using charm to get her way, it only made him more uneasy.

"Could I have a glass of water?"

The Guard was puzzled by this simple request, but after getting over the unexpected innocence of it, he nodded. "Sure … I'll have to monitor you to make sure you don't, you know, do something with it."

"Of course." Rarity said. "But whatever would I do with a glass of water?"

"You could try to choke yourself on the water, you could break the glass and use it to hurt yourself or others …" The Guard said, before leaving when he noticed Rarity's annoyed gaze. "I'll get right on it."

"I'm not _that_ badly damaged." Rarity huffed, turning over on to her side and pulling up her covers, careful not to agitate her sling arm. "Am I?"

Over the course of the next three days, Rarity remained remarkably calm and well-behaved for someone who had tried to jump out of a window a mere seventy-two hours ago.

She laid back on her bed, patiently waiting for the Guards to bring her lunch. While she waited, her mind wandered … and as it did, it wandered back to a moment from a long time ago … back when she was still under the direct influence of the Pipe Slime.

Of course, given the way her life was right now, who's to say she wasn't still under the influence of the Pipe Slime now? Albeit more … subtle, more … implicit and more shadowy and long-reaching, consequential influence?

Were the others right? Was her relationship with Rainbow Dash … toxic?

She thought back to when she and Rainbow Dash were in front of the cave. They had just sent Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy in to be tainted by the Pipe Slime itself, and were taking the chance to enjoy some private time together. And over the course of the proceedings in said private, Rarity … slapped Rainbow Dash.

Rarity _slapped_ her.

"I _slapped_ her."

It wasn't a light slap, either, the kind one gives to a friend at a party in front of friends to let the friend they were being rude or offensive and give subtle discouragement of further inappropriate remarks. No, this was a hard slap. It hurt. It stung. It was _punishing._

It was_ cruel._

It had been a reprimand to Rainbow Dash for trying to Rarity's sweet nectar before Rarity had given her express permission.

Rarity was left wondering why she had done such a thing. She had never slapped Rainbow Dash before, had she? Even while under the Pipe Slime's control? Why did she feel the need to punish her this one time? Didn't she like it when Rainbow Dash nursed her, both with the Slime inside her and without? What made this time different?

_No … it wasn't me._ Rarity thought._ It wasn't me. I didn't hit her. It was the slime … wasn't it?_

Were the things _some_ were saying about her and Dash right? Was her relationship with Rainbow Dash as ... toxic they claimed?

She rolled on the bed, her mind still awash and racing with questions. Why could she control the slime as well as she did? Why did she hurt Rainbow Dash? Was it the slime, or her? Could she be trusted not to do it again?

_That's a stupid question._ Rarity thought. _We've been together ten years now. I haven't laid a hand on her._

Rarity paused.

_Rough play in the bedroom doesn't count._

The door clicked, and Rarity sprang upright. Two Guards entered the room, one of them carrying a tray with her lunch on it.

"Hi, Rarity. We've got your lunch for you."

"I see. Thank you, darlings." Rarity smiled at them as the Guard set the tray down on her bed.

Rarity wrapped her arms around herself, clutching at her breasts. Her empty, hollow, weightless breasts … "Oh, for Celestia's sake, not now."

The Guards looked at each other. One of them gestured his head at Rarity to indicate the other should ask what was wrong.

"What's bothering you?"

"Oh, nothing." Rarity closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's just I've been empty for so long … I'm wanting for my special powder."

"Your … special powder?"

"Yes." Rarity said. "It's … um, it's … a special powder which … lets me lactate." Rarity turned her head away from them in embarrassment, before turning back to them and smiling, fluttering her lashes. "Would you two dears be so kind as to help me procure some?"

"Gee, I don't know … would we have to steal it from somewhere?"

Rarity laughed airily. "Ha ha ha! No, darlings. I can recall the recipe by heart. All I need you to do is bring the ingredients."

"Well …"

The other Guard slammed his elbow into the Guard's shoulder, giving a disapproving glare.

"I'm not sure Cadence would approve of us giving you something like that."

Rarity narrowed her eyes. "Well, what Cadence doesn't know won't hurt her, will it?"

"I'm sorry, Rarity." The Guard said. "We can't help you with this. Enjoy your lunch."

One of the Guards left, while the other went into the corner.

Rarity looked down at her lunch. In anger, she gave a backhanded swat to a bowl, making it topple, but she calmed down and reached over, stopping it from tipping over with her palm.

"Hmm." The Guard said in observation. "Say, can I ask you kind of a weird question? Hypothetically … if we did get you your powder, which we won't, would you do something disgusting like suck on your own breasts, just to get your fix?"

Rarity squinted off to the side.

"Maaaybe." She answered. "Still, you shouldn't ask a lady something like that, darling." Rarity protectively brought her arm over her chest. "What a lady does with her assets is her own business."

Rarity gazed down at her lunch, contemplating a situation where she had access to her powder, and she could suckle and feed herself with her milk out of spite so she wouldn't have to rely on Cadence's servants for sustenance. Recognizing such a scenario was unlikely to happen, she set about eating her lunch.

Later, much later in the day, night had fallen on the Crystal Empire, and Rarity was lying in her bed, resting her head on her pillow, closing her eyes and attempting to go to sleep.

Her attempt to go to sleep was interrupted by the sound of dripping, one of the worst sounds to be trying to fall asleep to. Most of the time, it meant someone had left a faucet on, and one couldn't get used to the rhythm and go to sleep ignoring it, because one could never tell how much time there would be between drops.

Rarity's eyes shot open.

Her room didn't _have_ a faucet.

Her eyes drifted over to the boarded-up window, where, once she focused, she was quite certain was where the noises were coming from.

"Guards!" Rarity shouted. "GUARDS!"

The Guards burst in, flicking the light on. They reared up, aiming their spears and getting ready for a fight. "What is it?"

"I think - I know there's something by the window." Rarity pointed to the window, clutching at her blanket. "I can hear dripping coming from it."

"Dripping?" The Guards asked. They lowered their spears and went over to the window to investigate.

"It's completely boarded up." The Guard said. "How could anything get in?"

The Guards did a thorough inspection of the boarding, running their hands over it, feeling for anything which felt out a place. A loose nail, a spot of condensation.

"We're sorry, Rarity." The Guard said. "We can't find anything. There's nothing to show any signs of disturbance … or dripping. There's not a single wet spot on there."

"I _know_ there was something there." Rarity said.

The Guard. "It was probably just your imagination."

"Yeah. Spending so much time locked up in here is making you go stir-crazy and see things." The guard twirled his finger in a 'cuckoo' motion. "Like, cabin fever or something. We need to get you outside one of these days."

The Guards left, turning the light off on their way out.

"I know something was there." Rarity said. She laid down and rested her head on her pillow. Perhaps the Guards were right. Perhaps she was imagining things because she hadn't had fresh air in too long.

But if so, why could she sense - why she could _feel_ there was something on the other side of the window?

* * *

The next day, Rarity was reading a book on her bed with a pair of reading glasses. Evidently, she had behaved enough for the Guards to trust her not to try to pop out the lens and make them into in a makeshift glass dagger of some kind.

Cadence herself came by and visited, pulling up a seat and sitting next to Rarity's bed.

"Hello, Cadence." Rarity closed her book to give Cadence her attention. "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm just checking on you." Cadence said. "It's amazing how well you've behaved, Rarity, considering what you did."

Rarity shrugged. "What can I say?"

"You haven't fought the Guards, you haven't tried to hurt yourself or cut yourself, you never refused to eat your food …" Cadence went on. "It's … pretty amazing."

"Yes, well … I thought about it, and I decided I don't want another sling on me. I mean, look at this one." Rarity pointed at it. "The color is all wrong. It totally clashes with my complexion!"

Both she and Cadence laughed.

"Oh, of course. It's always about fashion with you, isn't it, Rarity?"

"It is." Rarity said. She threw her legs off the side of the bed and stood up. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll check myself out now."

"Whoa there." Cadence said. "Just because we're talking and laughing does not mean you are free to go."

Rarity's face grew sour. "I assure you, Cadence, I am quite fine." Rarity stood up.

"Where do you think you're going? Sit. Down." Cadence's hand glowed, and she pointed a finger at the floor, using her magic to force Rarity back on the bed.  
"Rarity, this isn't just something you can talk your way out of. It's not a test where you have to say just the right thing that we want to hear and then we'll let you go. You tried to jump out of a building. You're not well. You need help. You need observation. You need to be cleared by a professional before we let you go. Maybe even a review board."

"I see." Rarity crossed her arms. "And will this board include Harshwhinny and Shining Armor?"

Cadence looked shamefully away. "I can't change what happened with Harshwhinny and Shining Armor. But I can keep you here, and I can decide whether or not you're mentally unfit."

"And what qualifications do you have to decide whether I'm mentally unfit or not?"

Cadence's reply was sharp and brisk. "I'm the Princess. The Princess of Love."

Cadence got up and left the room, exchanging bitter glances with Rarity on her way out.

Rarity sat back in her bed, seething. Her eyebrow perked up, and her body went from tense in anger to tense in fear when she heard the sounds of something dripping again. From the boards.

She could see it this time. It was something slipping through the boarding … something … orange.

"Cadence!" Rarity screamed.

Cadence walked back into the room, adopting a gentler tone when she detected the fear in Rarity's voice. "What is it?"

Rarity pointed at the boards.

"The dripping again?" Cadence gave a soft smile and shook her head. "The Guards told me. Rarity, you're probably just imagining things, or … hearing condensation drip off. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for you to be delirious after sliding on your roof like you did."

Rarity put a finger to Cadence's lip before making a shush gesture by putting a finger to her own lip.

Rarity pointed at the boards, gesturing for Cadence to listen.

After a few moments of silence, Cadence heard the dripping noises, and she recognized what they were.

"Cadence," Rarity said, speaking in a loud and melodramatic voice to make sure the eavesdropper heard, "why don't you go and wait in the hall?"

"Good idea, Rarity." Cadence said woodenly. "I will go and do that." Cadence went out into the hall.

"We have got to work on her acting." Rarity muttered to herself. She turn towards the window.

The boards shook. They rattled as something pounded on them from outside, knocking nails out and out to the floor.

The boards bent backwards as the intruder pounded again, knocking all the nails and planks out, where they fell to the floor with a clatter, the planks banging against each other, the nails rolling around on the floor, a cloud of sawdust rising up from the destroyed wood.

Fleur-de-lis hung outside the window, her slime appendages allowing her to cling to the wall.

"Finally!" Fleur exclaimed, her tail wriggling as she writhed and slithered her way inside. "I thought she'd never leave us alone!"

Fleur dragged in her tentacles from the window, resting her tail on the floor. "Now we can have a private moment … just between you and me."

Fleur slithered towards the bed.

"I've been looking all over for you …" Fleur whispered. "I've been wanting to have some private time together with you … with just us … and we can take turns …"

"Sounds lovely." Rarity nodded before turning head towards the door. "CADENCE! NOW!"

Cadence burst into the room, her hands glowing with blue magic. She fired out a blizzard gusts from her palms, coating Fleur in snow and ice. Fleur shivered and seemed bothered by the ice crystals and frost forming around her hair, but her slime remained agile and mobile.

"It didn't work." Cadence said with disbelief. "It didn't work. It's supposed to work! It's supposed to freeze her!"

"Chrysalis must have cast a spell on the Citrus Slime to protect from the freezing weakness." Rarity quickly deduced. She rubbed her chin. "The slime is still mostly liquid, though, so it would be weak to … quick! Shoot her with a lightning spell!"

"I can't do that!" Cadence protested. "I could kill her!"

"Fine!" Rarity said. "If you would rather stand here and let her ravish us, have it your way!"

Fleur raised up her tentacle menacingly at Cadence. "You interrupted mine and Rarity's private time."

Cadence bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Fleur-de-lis. Please forgive me."

Closing her eyes and looking away, Cadence fired bolts of lightning with her magic, striking Fleur-de-lis and electrocuting her, the electric charges spreading through the slime. The sound of smoke and charred flesh permeated the room, the lightning flashing a blinding light.

There was a disgusting squelch noise, and the slime exploded off Fleur-de-lis' body, spraying all over the walls and floor, painting them with little orange flecks. Fleur laid in the center of the room, resting on her hands and knees, covered in black soot, and thin smoke coming off her body, but she was alive.

Cadence swirled her finger, using a spell to gather up all the droplets of slime. She manipulated them, coalescing them into one huge orb which she levitated into the air. "Whelp, I've got to go find something to do about this before it causes any harm. Stay here." Cadence pointed a stern finger at Rarity.

"I'm not going anywhere." Rarity said, looking at Fleur. Cadence carried the sphere of slime out of the room, holding up the gelatinous mass with her magic.

Fluer shivered and curled up, wrapping her arms around her legs as she sniffed and cried.

"Fleur?" Rarity asked, getting off the bed and approaching, gingerly reaching a hand out.

"Get away!" Fleur snapped at her, tears flying from her eyes.

"Fleur …" Rarity said.

"I said get away!" Fleur snapped. She turned away, crying into her knees. "You don't want to be near me … I'm … I'm a monster."

"No, you're not." Rarity said.

"How would you know?" Fleur snapped, turning towards Rarity with a fist. "You don't know what I'm feeling right. You don't have any idea what I've been through!"

"Actually, I can say, without a doubt, that I am one of the few people in Equestria who know exactly what you've been through." Rarity said. "That gurgle feeling in your chest … it you up in more ways than one, never feeling whole unless you had something to take the excess off you. The question, deep down, about whether or not you enjoyed it … that feeling of power knowing you all had to do was stick your tentacle in someone and they would be completely under your control … wondering how much of was the slime whispering into your ear, and how much of it was your own idea?"

Fleur-de-lis sniffed. "Yes …"

Rarity sat down next to Fleur, putting her hands on Fleur-de-lis' shoulder.

"I … almost kinda liked it." Fleur said.

"I know." Rarity rested her head on Fleur's shoulder. "Believe me, I know."

"Ooh … I'm a monster." Fleur-de-lis groaned. "Fancypants is going to hate me."

"You're not a monster. Fancypants has been worried sick about you. All the time you've been infected, all the time you've been gone … all he's wanted to know is if you would be okay." Rarity said. "He'll be relieved to know that you're unharmed."

"What … do I do?" Fleur asked, sniffing and wiping away at her tears. "It's not like I can just hop back into my life like nothing's happened!"

"No." Rarity said. "But you can have friends you can rely on who will support, like Fancypants. Like myself."

"Fancypants is more than a friend …"

Rarity cupped Fleur's chin and made Fleur look at her. "Which is why he'll be the first to forgive you … after me, of course."

Fleur giggled.

"If you ever need someone to talk about your … experience, I'm here for you." Rarity assured her with a smile. "In a way, Fleur-de-lis, I envy you. If I had had someone to talk to, someone who knew what I was going through and could relate to it … things might have gone differently. My friends and I would have still trusted each other like we used to without second-guessing everything I have to say … instead of hiding all our reservations … and I might not be where I am today."

Rarity sat there, continuing to rub Fleur's shoulders in comfort. While Fleur rested her head on Rarity's shoulder, Rarity stared off into space, reflecting on recent events in her life.

Unseen by Fleur, Rarity clenched her fist, making a vow to herself.

_On my word, once I get out of here, I will start making amends for all my transgressions. I'm not innocent in all this. I've made mistakes. I've lied. I've obfuscated and used half-truths. Well … it's time to stop lying. From now on, I will tell everyone the exact truth, for good or for ill, with no dilution or censoring._

Rarity looked at Fleur-de-lis.

_And … I'm going to help those around me who need my help. Maybe I'll start a group for people in mine and Fleur's situation. Ha ha!_

Rarity continued to comfort Fleur, giving her a shoulder to cry on until Cadence returned.

* * *

"I must say, Rarity, I'm impressed." Cadence said, the three of them going to a desk. "Comforting Fleur-de-lis the way you did … not a lot of people who have been through the days you've been having would be able to do that."

Rarity shrugged. "What can I say?"

"Caring for and empathizing with others is a sure sign of good mental health." Cadence pulled out a quill. "It's a remarkable sign of improvement."

"So … I'm free to go?" Rarity asked.

Cadence nodded. "Yes. Fleur-de-lis will need to be checked out a bit more thoroughly, just to make sure there's not any consequences from the slime, but you're both free to go."

Fleur and Rarity exchanged smiles with each other.

Cadence slammed her hand on the crystal desk, making them both spring to attention.

"On one condition." Cadence said. "You and Fleur both come back regularly to check in for mandatory evaluations."

"But of course, darling." Rarity said.

"Excellent." Cadence handed Rarity the quill and tapped a paper on the desk. "If you'll both just sign here showing your voluntary agreement to cooperate to my terms and conditions, and you'll be on your way. I'll let your families know you'll be coming back home." She smiled at Rarity and left the desk.

Rarity sighed the paper for herself before handing the quill to Fleur.

"Do you think Fancypants will be happy to see me?" Fleur asked as she signed her paper.

"Darling …" Rarity draped an arm over Fleur's shoulder. "He'll be elated."

Fleur shrugged, uncertain. "I hope so …"

* * *

Fancypants laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling as he waited for the agonizing hours to pass by. Cadence had sent him a letter saying Fleur-de-lis was on her way home, and she would arrive by train. It was hours ago when it had arrived. How long did a train take?

Fancypants tapped a finger to his head. If he was less despondent, he'd be less questioning. In a better state of mind, he knew how long a train took to get to Canterlot from the Crystal Empire, but each hour he waited felt like ten.

He heard a knock on the door.

"Coming!" Fancypants declared, putting on his monocle. He opened the door and gasped when he saw Fleur-de-lis, standing with a demure, reserved posture.

"Hello, Fancypants." Fleur-de-lis said. "I'm … I'm back." She turned away from him. "I'm … not sure if you can forgive me for what I did while I was … infected. I destroyed your house, I attacked Rarity and Rarity's friends, I didn't listen to anyone … so if you don't want to see me right now, I understand … dang it, Fancypants, say something."

Fancypants was silent. He spread out his arms and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her body, pulling her close in a tight embrace.

Fleur gasped. She gave a smile, even though her eyes were watery, and she returned the hug.

And that was all that needed to be said between them.

* * *

Rainbow Dash, Coco Pommel, Sweetie Belle, and Diamond Tiara crowded the foyer of Rarity's house, gathered around at the door, awaiting Rarity's arrival with a big welcome planned for her. Sweetie Belle held up a cake with a lit candle, with 'welcome home' written on it in frosting.

"Okay." Rainbow Dash made a shush gesture. "Everyone be super quiet. I want this to be a surprise for her. A good one."

Rarity walked up to the front of the house. She stopped and looked up. Something was missing. She needed a grander entrance for her return.

"Hmm." Walking around to the side of the house, Rarity waved her hand out, opening the window to her room with her magic.

"What is she doing?" Diamond Tiara wondered, seeing Rarity's silhouette in the window.

Rarity winced, remembering this was the same window she had tried to jump out of, but she carried on. Reaching her magic around, she felt around the room, sticking her tongue out in concentration as she tried to grab what she couldn't see. After knocking a few things over during her blind rummage, her face lit up when she felt what she was looking for.

Being careful not to drop or spill, she levitated the item out from the window and brought it down. The bowl of her powder.

Rarity stuck her fingers up, picking up a small sample, and placed it on her tongue. She swallowed and waited for her breasts to fill up.

"Come on. What's taking so long?" Rainbow Dash asked.

To everyone's surprise, the door swung wide open, and Rarity reached in, grabbing Rainbow Dash by the shoulders and pulling her close.

"Oh my." Coco Pommel said, realizing what Rarity's intentions were. She covered Diamond Tiara and Sweetie Belle's eyes.

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry, children, but you two shouldn't see this."

"We're legal adults!" Sweetie Belle protested, but Coco remained firm.

Rarity tossed Rainbow Dash against the door, landing her on her rump, and pinning her.

"Hey, what's the big idea here?"

Rarity silenced Rainbow Dash by pulling her dress down. The rest should be obvious.

"Mmm …" Dash moaned when Rarity finished and pulled away.

"Oh, darling … you have no idea how much I've been needing that." Rarity said as she pulled up her dress. She blushed and chuckled, noticing Coco Pommel standing inside the house and looking at her, trying to determine if it was safe to take her hands off the two girls' eyes or not.

"Heh heh. I apologize, darling. I got a little carried away."

Coco Pommel nodded and removed her hands.

Rarity moved to go inside, but Rainbow grabbed her by the arm.

"I have a surprise for you too." Rainbow Dash said. "Later, when we're alone. Right now, go and say hi to everyone."

"Hello, everyone." Rarity said as she and Dash entered. "Oh my. I see a big welcome was prepared for me."

"Yup!" Sweetie Belle presented the cake to her. "We even made you a cake! I baked it myself."

This was cause for Rarity to grow concerned.

"Don't worry." Coco Pommel assured her. "I supervised."

"Well, it looks lovely." Rarity took the cake, and everyone followed her into the kitchen where she set it down on the table. She retrieved a knife and began to cut a slice off the cake.

Rarity noticed she was earning stares from Coco Pommel and Sweetie Belle.

"What?" Rarity asked. "Do you think, just because it was made for me, I'm supposed to dig in and eat it with my bare hands like an animal?"

Coco and Sweetie Belle looked at each other.

"Kind of, yes." Coco said. "Sorry. I guess you learn bad habits when you grow up in a poor neighborhood like mine."

"That's how I'd do it." Sweetie Belle said.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "So _uncivilized._" Rarity set the slice on a plate before noticing everyone was standing around. "Well? Grab a plate. I'm not going to eat this whole cake by myself. I'd lose my voluptuous figure!"

Everyone laughed before fetching plates for themselves.

Once they were all served and eating, Rarity looked down at her plate, regarding the half-eaten slice of cake on it. She looked towards Sweetie Belle.

"Sweetie Belle, join me on the stairs, would you?" Rarity asked.

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow. "Uh, okay."

Though puzzled by Rarity's odd request, Sweetie Belle followed her sister onto the steps, where Rarity sat down on the stairs and patted the stairs, gesturing for Sweetie Belle to sit next to her.

Sweetie Belle sat down. She ate another bite of cake before asking the obvious question. "What's up?"

"Sweetie Belle …" Rarity said, resting her plate in her lap. "While I was at the Crystal Empire under Cadence's watch, I made a promise to myself. That I would start helping those I saw in need, quit lying, and speak the honest, whole truth."

"Okay." Sweetie Belle said. "What does this have to do with me?"

Rarity rested her arms on her lap. "You say you've been infatuated with Scootaloo for some time now, yes?"

"Yes? Why?"

"Why is that?" Rarity asked. "What is it about Scootaloo that draws you to her? That makes you love her and want to be with her?"

Sweetie Belle sat her fork down on her plate. "Uh, well …"

"It's not because of me, is it?" Rarity asked. "You've modeled several of your behaviors after me, after all. I have a relationship with Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo is a lot like Rainbow Dash, or tries to be, anyway, so then … it makes sense that you would try to start a relationship with her, patterned after Rainbow Dash and I."

Sweetie Belle looked down at her plate before looking at Rarity despondently. "Rarity … what are you trying to tell me?"

"Just to be clear, I'm not trying to tell you to stop your pursuit of Scootaloo." Rarity said. "But I want you to be sure you're chasing after her for the right reasons. I want you to be sure that it's _Scootaloo_ that you want, and not just a mirror of my relationship with Rainbow Dash." Rarity placed a hand on Sweetie Belle's shoulder. "While I can certainly try and make a guess, I can't ultimately know for sure what it is _you_ want and decide that for you. Only you know, and you have to decide it for yourself."

Sweetie Belle looked at the floor. She nodded. "Okay. I understand."

"Good. I'm glad you do." Rarity patted Sweetie Belle on the shoulder before standing up. "Chin up, Sweetie. There's someone waiting out there for you … even if Scootaloo might not be the one."

"Hey." Rainbow Dash walked into the room. "If you're done with your little lecture with Sweetie Belle, I'm ready to give my surprise for you."

"I think I am." Rarity said. "What is this surprise you're so eager to give me?"

"Come on." Rainbow Dash said. "Let's go upstairs for it."

"Ooh, mysterious." Rarity cooed, walking up the stairs, Rainbow Dash following behind her, leaving Sweetie Belle alone on the staircase to contemplate what Rarity said.

Rainbow led Rarity to their room. "You go first." Dash gestured.

"Such a gentleman." Rarity entered the room. "So, what is this big surprise?"

Rainbow Dash closed the door and locked it behind them. "Well, after you got sent away for the Crystal Empire, I figure you could stand to do something really special to welcome you back home."

"And what would that be?"

"Well … I figured out something special, so I …"

Rainbow Dash lifted her shirt up, peeling it off over her head, unclipping her undergarments to expose her enlarged breasts, which were spilling milk from their tips.

"Took some of the powder."

"Ooh." Rarity rubbed her fingers in anticipation. "I like this idea."

Rainbow Dash braced herself against the wall. Rarity leaned over and bent down

"Mmm …" Rarity said. "After we finish this … we should go find Spike."

"Spike?"

"Yes. Mmm … I need to talk to him."

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Okay. I'll go get him … after we're done here." Rainbow Dash cupped Rarity's cheek. "And no sooner."

"Hmm." Rarity smiled and nodded in agreement.

* * *

Long after they had finished their session, Rarity was left waiting by the door to the Boutique, waiting for Rainbow Dash to bring Spike to her. It was getting late. The stars were coming out.

A knock Rarity recognized as Rainbow Dash's banged on the door.

Rarity opened the door, finding Rainbow Dash and Spike outside.

"Well, it took me a long while." Rainbow Dash said. "But I found Spike. He's all yours." Rainbow Dash waved and went inside, passing both of them.

Rarity crossed her arms and rested against the door. "Hello, Spike."

Spike stood with his hands in his pockets. "Hello."

Rarity turned her head and smiled. "I've been needing to talk to you about this for a while, haven't I? … You've needed to hear this for awhile." Rarity closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "Spike … darling … I know you have feelings for me. And I'm flattered that I would catch your eye in that way, and I want you to know that no matter what, I deeply appreciate your friendship … but … I don't think it would-"

"It'll never work out between us." Spike said. "You're with Rainbow Dash now. I know. You've been hiding her in your house for a long, long time. There's no way I can compete with that."

Rarity smiled apologetically. "I'm glad you understand. I'm sorry."

"I knew." Spike said. "I guess I always knew. But still … just hearing it, out in the open like that … still kinda hurts." Spike cringed.

"You'll get over it." Rarity said. "You'll have to heal, and you'll get over it."

"Yeah, probably." Spike said. "See you around, Rarity."

"Good night, Spike."

Spike waved at her and left, walking off into the night. Rarity closed the door and let out a deep breath. It might have hurt to do, but a burden had been lifted off Rarity's shoulders.

Spike walked along the road, staring at the ground. He raised his head up when Sonata Dusk came bouncing up to him, skipping on her feet, her breasts jiggling around in a pleasing way.

"Hey there, sweet boy." Sonata Dusk greeted him. "Why so glum?"

"Hey, Sonata." Spike said. "What are you doing out here so late?"

"Oh, I just got lost on the way home again." Sonata Dusk said. "This may come as a surprise to you, but I have a terrible sense of direction."

"Not as surprising as you think." Spike said.

"Anyway, you still haven't answered my question." Sonata said. "What's got you down, Spike?"

"Oh, nothing …" Spike said. "I just came from a friend's house, and we had a talk. We … said some things that needed to be said, but … I don't know … they were all true things, things I needed to hear, but ... it still stings a little bit."

"Oh, you poor boy." Sonata Dusk took Spike's hand, placing one hand over it. "Why don't you tell Sonata Dusk all about it? As a bonus, you can walk me home along the way."

Spike looked up, considering whether or not he wanted to open up to Sonata Dusk about this. He decided he did. "Well … it all started with …"

* * *

Rarity let out another deep sigh, relaxing after finishing with her dirty business with Spike. She walked through the foyer, ready to begin preparing for bed, to brush her hair and teeth …

Rapping came from the door.

"Now who could that be at this time of night?" Rarity asked. She went up to the door and opened it, surprised to a see a fuming Suri and a stern, serious Filthy Rich standing outside her door.

"Hello." Rarity said after getting over her initial shock. "What can I do for you, Mister Rich?"

"Rarity, let's get down to brass tacks." Filthy Rich said. "I'm here to retrieve my - our daughter."

"I see." Rarity said. "Just a minute. Diamond Tiara! There's someone at the door for you!" She shouted into the building.

Rarity crossed her arms. "If she wants to leave, I won't stop her, but what makes you think she'll go with you?"

"She's my daughter." Filthy Rich said. "That's reason enough."

"While she's here?" Rarity pointed to Suri. "I don't think it will be."

"How dare you." Suri said. "I'll have you know that I am just as loving -"

Rarity laughed.

"As Filthy Rich, and care about Diamond Tiara-"

Rarity snickered.

"Just as much, and am looking forward to-"

Rarity chortled.

"Restarting a new life with her." Suri said, gnashing her teeth at Rarity's laughter.

Rarity guffawed. "Oh, don't make me laugh. Wait a minute, you already did! But really now, darlings, do you really think Diamond Tiara is going to come home with _you?_ I'll bet you don't even care. You're just pretending to be be mad to stay on Filthy Rich's good side."

"Who's at the door for me?" Diamond Tiara asked, entering the room from down the stairs. She halted when she saw Filthy Rich and Suri. She crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"Diamond Tiara …" Filthy Rich spoke in a level, but serious voice. "It's time to come home."

Diamond Tiara huffed. "No. I don't wanna. I want to stay with Rarity"

"Diamond Tiara, that's enough fun and games. It's time for you to come home." Filthy Rich said, a bit more forceful.

"I'm not playing any games." Diamond Tiara said. "I'm staying with Rarity. As far as I'm concerned, this is my home, and I'm not going to set foot in your house while she's still in it!" Diamond Tiara pointed at Suri.

"Diamond Tiara-" Filthy Rich began to speak, but Diamond Tiara turned around and walked back up the stairs.

Filthy Rich hung his head, while Suri stood there befuddled, biting her lip.

" … I see." Filthy Rich said. "Suri, I can't deny it's been lovely having you around the house these last few days … but for the sake of our daughter, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

While Suri's jaw dropped, Filthy Rich turned and left.

"You …" Suri fixed her jaw and glared at Rarity. "No, you. This is somehow your fault. It has to be. You - you've been brainwashed Diamond Tiara or something."

Rarity chuckled. "Is that what you think?"

Suri raised up her finger. "Yes, and if wasn't for Diamond Tiara being under your control, I'd-"

"You'd what?" Rainbow Dash asked, leaning over the handrails of the staircase, her wings flared out. She cracked her knuckles.

Suri was scared into silence. She lowered her finger and backed away from the door, giving a forced chuckle before turning and running away before Rainbow Dash decided to pounce on her.

"Well, glad that's over." With no more apparent threat to Rarity around, Rainbow Dash let her guard down, showing she was tired. "Rarity, would you come to bed already?"

"Right away, darling." Rarity closed the door.

"Although …" Rarity tapped a finger to her chin, thinking about Suri. "Hmm …"

"What?"

"Nothing." Rarity said. "I'll be right with you, darling."

* * *

The next day …

"What? No. Rarity, I get that you're trying to get into this 'help everybody' thing, but that's a terrible idea."

"I have to try to get through her, Rainbow Dash. I have to try. You won't begrudge me one try, will you?"

"Grr. Fine. But don't expect me to be there, and don't come crying to me when it all goes south."

"Thank you, darling …"

…

A few hours later, Suri Polomare received a card inviting her to lunch at one of the finer restaurants in Ponyville.

"Hmm. Seems a bit fishy, but I won't say no to free food." Suri said, examining the card.

She found the restaurant it listed and walked in. She walked up to the register. "Reservation for Suri Polomare?"

"Ah, yes." The attendant said. "Right over there. The purple-haired lady said she was expecting you."

"Purple-haired?" Suri questioned, but she didn't think too much of it. Lots of people in Equestria had purple hair.

Though when she arrived at the table, she wasn't expecting to find Rarity sitting there with bowls of food laid out, even if perhaps she should have been. After all, several Equestrians had purple hair, but of those, how many of them besides Rarity had reason to invite them to lunch?

"Oh, it's you." Suri growled and crossed her arms. "I don't know what game you think you're playing, but I'm not falling for it."

"I've already put in an order for you." Rarity gestured to the food.

Suri looked at the food before glaring at Rarity. "And it doesn't have anything in it that will make me throw up?"

"What? This isn't a private meeting. You think I would do something like that at a restaurant, with dozens of potential witnesses?" Rarity gestured to the other restaurant-goers.

Suri continued to narrow her eyes at Rarity, but she pulled out a seat and sat down. "You're lucky I can't say no to free food, or I'd be out of here."

"Oh, I know you can't." Rarity said. "After all, it's hard to pay for your food when you're a talentless hack who steals from others, and your sugar daddy is about to kick you out."

Suri stopped the bite which was about go into her mouth. "What do you want, Rarity?"

"I want to talk to you." Rarity said. "Let me start with a question. Why do you think Diamond Tiara resents you so much?"

"Because…" Suri said. "Because… she's… an ungrateful…" Suri threw her fork down and rubbed at her temples, unable to even convince herself of her lie. "Because I left her. I left her, and I didn't look back. I didn't write. I didn't call. I did nothing to try to include myself in her life."

"Well." Rarity said. "I'm surprised to hear you admit that so readily. This conversation is already going much better than I expected." Rarity said. "So, tell me, why do you think she's unwilling to let you try to be part of her life again?"

"Would you?" Suri asked.

"Good point." Rarity said. "Now, how do you think you could make it up to her and repair your relationship?"

"Make it up to her?" Suri asked. "Okay, one, that assumes I even want to make it up to her. Two, there is no making it up to her. I wasn't part of her life for years, and I didn't come until after she was almost an adult. And it wasn't to go see her, either. It was … it was to lounge in with Filthy Rich after my business collapsed again." Suri placed a hand over her forehead. "Don't you dare tell her this, but I can't manage my business without Coco Pommel helping me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I'm not that good at business smarts." Suri said. "Oh, sure, I can be underhanded and devious, and steal and cheat … but when it comes to things like budgeting and buying the right amount of materials, I'm kind of terrible. Anyways, the only way to make it up to Diamond Tiara would be to travel back in time and start all over again."

"Hmm. I have a friend who might be able to help you with that. I'm not sure she would approve, though ..."

"Let me guess." Suri said. "Your little Princess friend? 'Ooh, look at me, I'm Rarity, I'm so smart with my business, and I never have to worry about anything because I'm best friends with a Princess'!"

"My business has never collapsed the entire time I've had it, and I never needed Twilight's help to do that. It was all me." Rarity took a sip of her drink.

"Humph."

"I'm not saying I didn't have a few close calls along the way." Rarity said. "But most of the time, I was able to lift myself without having to ask Twilight Sparkle for any … favors."

"Well, goodie for you." Suri said. She leaned back against her chair. "Like I'm going to take advice on how to handle a business or an estranged child from a big-breasted floozy."

Rarity chuckled, taking Suri's insult in stride. "Suri … I'm trying to help you."

"That's funny, because for the record, I don't remember asking for your help or needing it."

"Asking? No, you didn't. Needing? I'd beg to differ." Rarity said. She looked to the side. "You know, it's funny … a long time ago, I met a friend. We've … fallen out of touch since then, but when we talked, we were … discussing how to get cute boys, and she said she heard that if you drank plenty of milk, you would get big breasts." Rarity examined her cup. "Now, I don't know if that's true or not, but that's what I did. Every breakfast I ate under my parents' roof from then, I always made sure to drink double glasses of milk. But whether the milk did it or not, you can't deny I certainly … developed well."

Rarity took a sip of her drink before noticing Suri giving her a dumbfounded look. "What?"

"Rarity … I'm pretty sure I was the friend who told you that." Suri said. "Remember? We met once before the competition in Manehatten? Remember that?"

Rarity's eyes widened in surprise, but she recovered and chuckled. "Well then … I guess maybe I have you to thank for my voluptuous chest, don't I?" She raised up her cup. "A toast. To rediscovering long lost friends and tracing back unexpected developments."

Suri shirked in her chair. She passively clinked her glass to Rarity's.

Rarity smirked. "You still don't think they're natural."

"Not really, no."

"Would you like to feel them?" Rarity teased. "It might change your mind."

Suri's cheeks turned an extremely bright red. "I'll … pass, thank you."

"Suit yourself. You don't know what you're missing." Rarity took another swig while Suri chuckled awkwardly.

Rarity set her drink down and stood up. She walked over to Suri and tossed a stack of papers onto the table, along with a pen.

"What are these?" Suri picked up the papers. "Adoption forms …?"

"I mean it, Suri. You need to think carefully and seriously about how you're going to handle the situation with Diamond Tiara. I'll get the bill. Waiter! Check please!" Rarity ran off.

Suri was left alone to contemplate the adoption papers. She lifted them up to her face, thinking about the significance they had, and the impact they could make on a young girl's life.

_Why did Rarity even have these in the first place…?_ Suri thought. _Hmm… was she… no, couldn't be. Surely not. Surely she wouldn't go that far …_

_Would she?_

It was there Suri realized, if she wanted to make up with Diamond Tiara, and perhaps Coco Pommel, _she_ needed to be willing to go that far as well.

* * *

Rarity returned home and went up to her room, where Rainbow Dash was lying on the bed.

"How'd it go?" Dash asked.

"Much better than expected." Rarity said. "I do believe I got through to her."

"Great. Hey …" Rainbow rolled over. "I've been thinking … maybe we should try to stop using the powder and wean ourselves off it."

Rarity was appalled. "Stop? But you love my milk! And I love it when you suckle me for my milk!"

"I know, I know." Rainbow Dash said. "But still … we are kinda … addicted to it."

"Addicted?" Rarity squealed. "We're not addicted! Silver Lens has filled your head with nonsense."

"Rarity …" Rainbow Dash said. "You were in the Crystal Empire for three days, and the first thing, the very first thing you did when you got back home was to shove your breast into my mouth. Not that I mind, but still."

"We are not addicted." Rarity insisted. "Neither of us are addicted. You're not addicted. I am not addicted."

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow said. "Prove it. Act like you're going to some of the powder, and then don't." She gestured her head at the drawer where the powder was kept.

"Fine. I will. And I'll prove to you that I am not addicted." Rarity said. She got onto the bed and laid next to Rainbow Dash. She pulled out the drawer and the bowl of powder, and scooped a spoonful. She made to lift the spoon to her mouth and stopped. Her hand shook, her mouth open and ready to consume the fine powder, but she resisted and put the spoon down into the bowl.

"There. See?" Rarity asked. "Not addicted. Not addicted or dependent at all."

Rarity crossed her arms, smirking at Rainbow Dash in satisfaction. Her mouth twitched. She tapped her fingers on her arm. She crinkled her nose and looked to the side.

She dashed towards the drawer, despite Rainbow Dash reaching out to stop her, and grabbed the spoon. She lifting it up to her mouth, shoving it and swallowing all of the powder on it, tears flowing from her eyes as she realized Rainbow Dash was right.

"I … I am an addict." Rarity realized. "I am addicted." Rarity turned around and nestled her head into Rainbow Dash's chest. "I'm sorry … you were right, Rainbow Dash. I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" She wailed. "You were right."

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Rainbow Dash assured her, rubbing and patting Rarity on the back. "It's okay. We can fix this. We can go get help, okay?" Dash lifted Rarity's head up by the chin. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault. We'll go over to the support group tomorrow, okay?"

Rarity nodded, her sparkling tears dripping onto Rainbow Dash's chest. "Okay …"

* * *

The day after, Rainbow Dash brought Rarity to the support group meeting.

Rarity stood outside the entrance to the building where the meeting was taking place. She hesitated to go in, even as Rainbow Dash strolled up to the entrance.

"Hey." Dash noticed Rarity's refusal to move. "Come on. I know these people. They're not gonna hurt ya."

Rarity rubbed at her wrists, still nervous. She went inside.

Rainbow Dash led her into the meeting room. It was set up the way one would expect the meeting to be, with a circle of chairs set up, most of which were occupied.

"Hey, guys." Rainbow Dash waved.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash." Chorused through the room.

"Where's Silver Lens? She usually comes with you."

"Eh, she couldn't make it today. Here's the new member I told you about." Dash gestured to Rarity. "My fiancee, Rarity. Have a seat, Rarity."

Rarity sat down at the empty seat.

"Hi there, Rarity." A familiar woman said.

Rarity squinted at her. "Blueberry Bite?"

"Yeah, it's me." Blueberry Bite answered. "You remember me?"

"Yes. One tends not forget the face of someone who aimed a shotgun at your face. What are you doing here?"

"Well, this may come as a surprise, but I used to get into a lot of mischief when I was younger." Blueberry Bite. said. "Got into drugs, alcohol, all kinds of bad stuff … needed a group like this to get me back on a good track. Now, I know you, but the rest of us don't, so, Rarity, why don't you start by introducing yourself and why you're here today?"

"Hello, everyone." Rarity waved. "My name is Rarity Belle, and … I have an addiction to breastfeeding my partner."

Everyone in the shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh, now, well …" A man said. "Just because you have an interesting kink doesn't mean y'all have an addiction."

"Except … except it does." Rarity said, tears forming as she remembered what happened in the cave all those years ago. "You don't know the story behind it. You don't know what's gone on. I … I have to do it. That's what makes it an addiction. If I don't, I feel incomplete … I get crabby and cranky, and I need my fix. I need to stuff my breasts - my disgusting huge breasts into Dash's mouth and make her work and squirm for every drop of white poison inside my spheres."

Rarity crossed her legs, putting a hand over her face.

"I need it. I need it, and I want it to stop. I've hidden it this whole time, for ten years, because I was afraid of what my friends would say and think … that I would be ostracized and alienated. And now, because I hid it, that exact thing happened, and people - people whose jobs are to help, to protect … have been after me. Because of something I did years ago. Because of what I did when my mind and body were completely my own, because I did something sexual ..."

Rarity placed her face her into a palm. The room stayed quiet, giving her the time she needed.

Rarity removed her hand and took in a deep breath. "My name is Rarity Belle, and I'm a victim lashing out a world that doesn't understand me or my pain."

Rarity curled her fingers against her forehead. The entire room sympathized with her.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**Suri Polomare of all people getting a redemption seems ridiculous at face value … or at least, it did, until the S5 finale happened.**

**Rarity seems to keep getting off easy, maybe? I mean, the entire point is that she's being unfairly targeted by Harshwhinny and Shining Armor, but she's not completely blameless.**

**Sonata/Spike may seem a weird pairing, but it's what I done did.**

**Suri's 'advice' to Rarity in the past about drinking a milk based on an anecdote I once heard which may or may not be true.**

**I forgot a tidbit explaining that Suri was perpetuating a vicious cycle, doing to Rarity and Coco what her own mentor did to her. But having left it out by accident, I think the finished story works better without trying to attribute her nastiness to being someone else's fault in a poor Freudian Excuse.**

**Silver Lens' originally going to be part of the 'addiction reveal' scene in the bedroom, but as she's not on good terms with Rarity on now, I left her out.**

**Blueberry Bite is a Miscellaneous OC from the prequel story of A Poison Most Intimate. She had a few dealings with Rarity there.**

**This chapter was proofread by SpikeSupreme17 _and_ gunstarx on Fimfiction. Give them a big round of applause! **

**Also gunstarx wanted to see Fluttershy breastfeed Silver Lens. I won't be doing that, but I won't discourage anyone reading from doing so...**

**Update: This chapter has been long delayed from being put onto Fanfiction, after it was already up on Fimfic. This is because I kept putting off censoring this fic for Fanfiction, as I've discussed before, and on the enormous list of everything I wanted to get done, putting up a half-baked version of this chapter on this site seem a very low priority. But I'm getting around to it now.**

**As always, you can check the Fimfic version to see all the raunchy scenes which cut or edited in their full, real form.**


	8. Relapse

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 8**

**Relapse**

* * *

Rarity and Rainbow Dash walked out of the building, the support group meeting an apparent success, though Rainbow Dash noticed Rarity wouldn't take her eyes off the ground.

"Hey, why so glum?" Dash put a finger to Rarity's chin and tilted her head up. "Wasn't it nice to talk about your feelings and what you're going through with the others?"

"I suppose." Rarity flicked her head away from Dash's finger. "But … I don't know, Rainbow Dash. I mean, how am I supposed to talk about all of this with them? Are any of them going to really understand what I've been through?"

Rainbow Dash put her hands on Rarity's shoulders. "Yes. They'll know exactly what you've been through, Rarity. They're all ex-addicts. That's what it means to be part of an Addicts Anonymous meeting. You understand that, right? They all know what it's like to have your head muddled by a substance, and for your friends to talk about you behind your back for something that might not even been your fault, or for doing something you wouldn't normally do … "

Rarity crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders. "I admit, it ... was nice to get all of that off my chest. But I'm still not convinced coming here again is really the best choice for me."

"Are you even listening to yourself? You sound ridiculous. 'Ooh, it was nice, but I don't want to do it again, ooh! Look at me, I'm Rarity, and I like to spend my wallowing in my own self-misery instead of talking about it with friends!'"

"Given how well some of our friends have handled the situation, I think I am well within my rights to be skeptical." Rarity said.

"Rarity, I wasn't told sold on the idea either at first." Rainbow Dash said. "I had to go a few times before I realized how much it was helping. Have I been cranky recently? Have I clawed at your chest, wanting some more white poison? Did I seem bitter and guarded around anyone? No … well, aside from Shining Armor. The point is, Rarity, that it helps."

Dash held Rarity by the shoulders. "Promise you'll go a few more times before you blow off the idea entirely."

Rarity pursed her lips. "Very well. But what about Blueberry Bite? Won't she be … resentful considering what I did to her and her sons all that years ago?"

"Rarity, if there's anyone in there who's going to understand exactly what you were going through - aside from me, of course - it's going to be Blueberry Bite. She got infected, too, you know. She'll know what it's like."

"Hmm." Rarity gave a soft smile, reassured by Rainbow Dash's encouraging words. They turned to walk back home, hand-in-hand, but their feet stopped on the grass and their smiles disappeared when they saw Twilight Sparkle standing in front of them.

"Hi." Twilight waved, keeping one hand behind back. She rocked on her ankles. "I was, uh, in the neighborhood and passing by … I saw you come out of the building, so I walked over and figured I would say hi and ... " Twilight sighed. "Look, Rarity, I wanted to talk about what happened at your house."

Rarity crossed her arms. "I have nothing to say to you."

"And I can accept that, but just … let me say what I have to say, okay?" Twilight asked.

"Why should I?" Rarity snapped. "What possible reason could I have to trust the word of my so-called friend who stood back and did nothing as I was accused of crimes I did not commit and of being a dangerous maverick?"

"Ugh." Twilight put a hand to her forehead. "You're right."

Rarity blinked. That hadn't been the response she was expecting. "I'm sorry?"

"You're absolutely right." Twilight said. "I'm a Princess now. I could - should have done something. All I needed to say was a few words and everyone would have cleared out the room. But I didn't. I was caught by surprise by how much _vitriol _Harshwhinny had to say against you, everything got heated and hostile, and I didn't think to do anything until it was too late and you …" Twilight's voice broke, and her eyes welled up with tears. "You almost went out the window … Rarity, I'm sorry. I understand if you don't want to forgive me. You don't have to. But I won't stop trying to make it up to you, and I promise you, I'll be ordering a thorough investigation into Harshwhinny and see it to it that she's properly reprimanded."

Rarity looked away before looking back to Twilight. "My apologies, Twilight Sparkle, but that isn't-"

Rainbow Dash grabbed Rarity by the wrist. "Rarity … think about what you're about to say, and think about what Twilight is saying."

Rarity's jaw hung open.

"I understand why you feel the way you feel right now, how angry you are … but Twilight is trying to apologize." Rainbow Dash said. "There is no reason to be this venomous towards her. If you keep acting like this, even when our friends are trying to help and _apologize _… it's no wonder we keep alienating everyone."

Rarity grimaced and turned to Twilight. "I … thank you, Twilight. That's … a good start." She turned back to Rainbow Dash. "Those sessions really did help you clear your head, didn't they?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged and smiled. "What can I say? Talk may be cheap, but it helps."

Rarity chuckled.

Twilight, standing feet away, shirked and smiled, happy to have to laid the first brick in mending broken bridges with Rarity. Her smile faded and she looked around. "Say, do you either of you hear buzzing sounds?"

The three of them searched around.

Rarity pointed to the sky, detecting the source of the noise. "There. Take cover!"

Sunset Shimmer was buzzing over their heads, her wings flapping with fury. She landed on the ground, slamming her feet and a fist into the dirt, honey dripping from her body as she raised her head up.

Sunset panted, glaring at Twilight Sparkle before charging at her. "You!" Sunset lunged her with claws raised. Twilight was able to keep her wits about her and use a teleport spell, appearing behind Sunset.

"Everything I've suffered through … all the things that were done to me since I came back here … it's all because of you!" Sunset snarled, lunging at Twilight again, her arms crossing in a desperate attempt to grab Twilight before she teleported away again, but to no avail, as Twilight slipped out of Sunset's reach by teleporting once more.

"How?" Twilight asked. "How has anything that's been done to you my fault? Did I turn you into a bee? Did I tell you to partner up with that weird bee-monster lady? Explain to me, Sunset Shimmer, how you can say I am the direct cause of anything that's befallen to you … and how it's not just the consequences of your own actions."

Sunset bared her teeth. "It … it just is, alright?" Sunset flew at Twilight, wings buzzing, meaning to ram Twilight at full speed, but Twilight ducked and hit the ground, and Sunset passed over her.

"No, I don't think that's it." Twilight got up, purple fire surrounding her fists. "I think you're looking for someone to blame. A scapegoat, someone you can pin all your failures and faults on so that you don't have to face that maybe, just maybe, you should have made different choices in your live."

"No! NO! Raaaaaah!" Sunset roared and charged at Twilight Sparkle again, but was hit from the side by a blast of sapphire flame from Rarity's finger and sent tumbling. Sunset regained her balance and growled at Rarity, meaning to lunge at her next. Twilight fired a fireball from both her hands, striking Sunset Shimmer and knocking her to the ground, where she landed on one of her wings, crumpling it.

"Grr …" Sunset winced, her eye twitching. She stood up, clutching at her damaged wing. She growled and charged at Twilight again, reaching a claw out to slash despite the obvious pain she was in.

Twilight dodged Sunset's blow by stepping to the side. Sunset ran straight past her without stopping. The injured wing was throwing off her balance and her focus.

"What happened to you, Sunset?" Twilight asked. "I thought I left you in good hands. I thought I told everyone in the town to try to make friends with the new you. What happened? How could you have let it all go so wrong?"

"Shut up!" Sunset Shimmer snapped. "Just shut up! Don't act like you know me! You don't know anything about me! About my life!"

Sunset ran towards Twilight again. Twilight waved her hand, holding Sunset's entire body in her magic and pulling Sunset back. Before Sunset could move again, Rarity contributed another blast, hitting Sunset in the side of her ribs and knocking her down to her knees.

"You know what I think?" Twilight said. "I think you were lying. I think you never actually 'rebuilt' your empire, did you?"

Sunset faced away from Twilight, tears in her eyes while clutching at her shoulder.

Rarity walked up to Twilight's side and raised up a hand, preparing another magical spell. "Are we sure this isn't a trick, so she can strike while our guard is down?"

"No." Twilight grabbed Rarity's hand and forced it down. "I can understand being paranoid, but I'm not letting you attack until we're sure one way or the other. Sunset?"

Sunset bit her lip. She looked up at Twilight, and for a moment, she seemed like she was going to talk … but she turned her head away.

"Sunset …" Twilight got down on one knee. "Tell me what happened."

"No."

"Fine." Twilight said. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this, but … did you know Flash Sentry is missing?"

This got Sunset's attention. "Flash is missing?"

"Yes." Twilight nodded. "He disappeared a few days ago. We haven't been able to find him, but we think we know who took him. If I know anything, I'd bet you still have feelings for him. Help us rescue him, Sunset Shimmer. Be the good guy."

Twilight offered a hand towards Sunset. "I could help you, Sunset, I can't help someone who's not willing to help themselves."

Sunset regarded the hand with caution, a waterfall of tears pooling down her fact. She let out a heavy breath.

"Okay. Fine. I admit it. I was exaggerating." Sunset said. "Everyone … everyone tried to be nice to me, like you asked them to. But … I couldn't stop thinking about you. I thought I had everything I could ever want, and that everyone would obey my every wish ... and then you came in and knocked me off my throne. You tried to show me another way, and … while I tried to be friendly to everybody, I was still mad. I thought my way was the best way, and for you to tell me it wasn't … infuriated me. So I came here. I thought I would mess with you and your friends a bit, maybe humiliate you for awhile, but I never …"

Sunset stared at her hands.

"I never thought this would happen. I never expected to be … turned into a monster. Again. And it made me … it made me realize I was stuck in a loop. A vicious cycle, where I just repeated my mistakes over and over again because I was resentful of somebody … it didn't matter if it was you, or Celestia, or whoever … and I was just so mad, I thought I'd hurt you … and then the cycle would end, and I would … I would stop hurting myself."

Sunset looked at the ground in shame before turning her eyes up to Twilight. Sunset raised up her hands, deploying the finger-stingers from her nails.

"Can you make me not a monster? Can you … fix me? Can you … cure me?"

"Only you can decide whether or not you're still a monster, Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said. "Being a monster isn't about what you are. It's what you do that defines you."

"Oh _please_." Rarity scoffed. "Have you told this little heartwarming lecture to Shining Armor? I think he could use it." Rarity huffed, turning her nose up, but her natural empathy got the better of her. "Sunset Shimmer … not too long ago, I met someone in a similar situation to the one you're in now. Only … they weren't quite as mean before being turned into a monster, but still. And I can safely say, if I could help them … maybe I could help you. If you're willing to try, of course."

Sunset stared at the ground. She nodded.

Twilight offered her hand again. This time, Sunset took it, and Twilight helped Sunset Shimmer to her feet.

* * *

In short order, Twilight got Sunset to Zecora's hut, where Zecora whipped another vial of her all-purpose antidote, which at this rate, seemed to be able to cure all ills.

"Ugh." Sunset groaned as her bee appendages fell off her body with squelchy noises, the rotting carcass of her carapace getting all over Zecora's floor. "Ew. Still …" Sunset put her hands together and stretched upwards. "Glad to be back to my old self."

"I'm glad you're back, too." Twilight said. She grabbed Sunset by the arm, with Sunset's eyes widening in surprise. "But there's no time to for you to sit around and get comfy. We've got intelligence reports indicating Flash Sentry is in the Everfree Forest."

Twilight Sparkle dragged Sunset with her as she ran out the door.

"Oh, and, uh, we'll help you clean that up later, Zecora, okay?" Twilight said, referring the parts of bee-monster scattered over the floor. Twilight swept her hand and set the vulnerable insect parts on fire, to Zecora's consternation.

Adagio Dazzle was out in the forest, with her thrall Flash Sentry, standing in a field of blue flowers.

"Ooh … I can't believe Flash has been taken in by a floozy like that." Sunset grumbled, hiding in the bushes with Rarity.

"Now … do be careful, Flash." Adagio Dazzle bent down and plucked one of the flowers. "Poison Joke can affect you if you don't handle it properly." She put the flower up to her nose and smelled it. "Aah. Whoever came up with the idea of using this to induce lactation was a diabolical genius. If we could get enough of it, I'm sure Chrysalis would be able to put it to good use …"

"She's still stealing my idea!" Sunset exclaimed, "Still, it's nice to hear I am a genius."

"Sunset." Rarity tapped Sunset on the shoulder. "Focus."

"Right."

Adagio Dazzle laid the Poison Joke across her arm and prepared to pluck another flower, but two fireballs - courtesy of Sunset Shimmer - flew by and hit her, knocking her off balance.

"What?" Adagio exclaimed. "Who did that?" She growled, but another fireball - this one from Twilight Sparkle - knocked her over.

Rarity jumped out from behind the bushes, wrapping her arms around Flash Sentry and pulling him away.

"What?" Flash questioned, his eyes glassy while Rarity's chest squished against his back. "What's going on? Could I have some more milk, mistress?"

"You can have all the milk you want once we get you home." Rarity said. "Just not breast milk."

Once Rarity had safely pulled back behind the foliage, Twilight gave a hand signal to Sunset from around the tree. Sunset nodded to to acknowledge, and she and Twilight ran out of the forest before Adagio Dazzle could get her bearings.

Sunset Shimmer stopped running. She turned around and stared at the field of flowers. Even without Flash Sentry to help her gather it, there was a lot of harm Adagio could do with so much Poison Joke. A fireball burning in her hand, Sunset hurled a fireball through the field, setting the Poison Joke aflame.

"Uh … what just happened?" Adagio asked, sitting upright and rubbing her head. She was alarmed by the burning flowers and quickly fled the scene.

* * *

Flash Sentry rubbed his head as the mist of Adagio's enchantment cleared from his mind. He examined his surroundings and observed he was in Ponyville. "Whoa … where am I? What happened? … Sunset Shimmer? What are you doing here?"

Sunset Shimmer stood coquettishly in front of him, her hands put together and off to one side. "Hi, Flash."

"What's been happening? Why am I in Ponyville?" Flash asked.

"You got enchanted by a mystical creature summoned from an evil book." Twilight answered sharply. "We rescued you just a few minutes ago."

"And here I thought as a Royal Guard, it was my job to do the rescuing." Flash wryly commented.

"Noo, don't be silly, darling. Your job as Royal Guard is to be an incompetent, ineffectual -"

"Rarity, enough." Twilight scolded.

Rarity turned her head away. " … Sorry."

"Twilight, listen … I know there's probably a lot you want to ask me, and plenty of things you want me to catch up on, but … would you mind if we walked on out of here?" Sunset grabbed Flash's arm. "Flash and I have some catching up of our own to do."

Twilight nodded. "Of course. Go ahead."

With a confident smile, Sunset walked Flash off, holding him by the hand. "Come on, you. There's a lot we need to talk about."

Twilight smiled as she watched them go, happy Sunset Shimmer was finding her place in the world … and rekindling old flames.

Twilight turned to speak to Rarity, but she stopped short, seeing Silver Lens approaching them in the distance. "Oh. Her."

"Princess Twilight?" Silver Lens asked, walking up to them. She stopped and hesitated at the sight of Rarity. "Er … I was hoping I could talk to you."

Twilight locked her arms. "That's good, Silver Lens, because I was hoping I could talk to you. What was that back there at Rarity's house?" Twilight gestured to Rarity. "What were you thinking? Did you even know what you were doing when you walked inside?"

Silver Lens averted her gaze. "No … no, I didn't. I had no idea what Harshwhinny was really trying to do. I'm … truly sorry for that, Princess."

"Don't apologize to me." Twilight gestured her fingers at herself before pointing at Rarity. "Apologize to Rarity! There were plenty of times you could have spoken out against Harshwhinny and save Rarity a load of trouble. Why didn't you?"

"I … I wasn't sure." Silver Lens answered. "I had seen so many different behaviors from Rarity, I wasn't sure what would have been the best thing for her and everyone. I wasn't sure what to recommend, and I thought … maybe Harshwhinny might have been right. Maybe it was better if Rarity was somewhere where she couldn't hurt anyone."

"You're a MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL! Making recommendations is YOUR JOB! The very job Cadence and I and everyone else hired you to do and _expected _you to do! If you didn't know what to do, you should have _told someone_. Me, Cadence, Celestia, anyone, and maybe we could have prevented this and gotten Rarity where she needs to be."

Silver Lens fell silent for a time. Twilight began to walk away.

"Princess, it's my recommendation that Rarity be put in a mental ward."

Twilight turned back to Silver Lens, leering at her with narrowed eyes. "Really? What makes you say that?"

"I saw her … stab a milk carton with a knife."

"A milk carton. With a knife." Twilight repeated. She rubbed her temples. "And why didn't you see it fit to, I don't know, report this to Cadence, like you were supposed to?"

"I … I was afraid … that Rarity might focus her anger on me if I reported anything that might have lead to her being taken from her home or restricted of her rights."

Twilight and Rarity glared at her.

"Really?" Twilight asked. "One, Rarity was already being removed of her rights simply by having to allow you in her house, not to mention Shining Armor putting the tracking bracelet on her, and she didn't do anything more than be sarcastic with you. Two, you know Rarity's history, her … unique trauma, and why she might have a hostile reaction to milk. A milk carton isn't even a person. It's a box, and a box that Rarity can do what she wants with. If she needs to go out and buy more milk because she was having a fit and destroyed her only carton, that's on her. Three, after the time she's been having, being institutionalized and locked up again is the last thing Rarity needs."

Silver Lens began to say something.

"And furthermore, after your poor conduct and failure to report in, I'm not sure I would trust any recommendations you make! You're lucky I don't have you disbarred this minute! Hmph!"

Twilight turned and walked away. Rarity glared at Silver Lens before joining Twilight.

"I …" Rarity halted as she and Twilight walked along the Ponyville path. "Thank you for that, Twilight. I … needed to hear someone stick up for me like that. You know, besides Rainbow Dash."

"No sweat." Twilight said. "I figure it's the least I can do, since I … haven't really been the best friend lately to you, either. Especially since I could have stopped what happened at the Boutique at any time. I mean, we keep saying we'll try to open up and quit making you feel so … alienated and left out, but then stuff like this keeps happening."

Twilight stopped and turned her. "Well, I say it's time we start putting our money where our mouth is. Tell you what, you get Rainbow Dash, I'll grab the rest of the girls, and we'll all meet up for lunch today. How does that sound?"

"That sounds lovely, darling."

"Great." Twilight waved goodbye and left. "See you in a little bit!"

"Goodness, is it that close to lunch time already? I suppose I have had a bit of a busy morning …" Rarity placed a hand to her cheek in contemplation. "You know, between going to a support group, fighting a corrupted bee-woman, and staging a rescue mission …"

* * *

Rarity, dressed in her little white sun dress, arrived with Rainbow Dash to the outdoors restaurant she and the girls frequented so often.

"It's amazing this place has stayed open as long as it has …" Rainbow Dash observed.

"There's our group." Rarity pointed to the table where Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Applejack were already seated, with glasses of water set out for all six of them.

"I must be honest …" Rarity said as Rainbow Dash was a gentleman and pulled out her seat for her. "I wasn't expecting all of you to show up." She glanced at Applejack, for obvious reasons.

"Are you kiddin'? After the rough time you've been havin'?" Applejack raised up her glass. "We wouldn't want have missed this for the world."

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie said.

"I know we may have been doing a really bad job of it as of late …" Fluttershy nervously ran her hand through her hair. "But we're always here for you."

"I'd like to propose a toast." Applejack waved her glass around. "To burying the past, making amends, and getting the old gang back together again. With a tight-knit friendship and thick as thieves … you know, like we used to be."

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie agreed. "The Magnificent Six! That's us!"

The rest of the girls chuckled.

"Hear, hear." Twilight agreed, and all six of them clinked their glasses together and drank from them in unison.

Some distance away, they were observed by Spike and Sonata Dusk sitting on a bench.

"They seem like they're having fun." Sonata observed.

"Yeah." Spike agreed before taking another bite of his sandwich."

"They didn't invite you?" Sonata asked, crossing her arms.

"No, Twilight did, actually, but I decided not to go." Spike said. "This is something that's between them. After all, it's to make amends for all the times that weren't there for Rarity when she needed them, but I was never not there for Rarity when she needed me." Spike cracked a smile, a soft tone of arrogance slipping into his voice.

"Really?" Sonata wrapped an arm around Spike's shoulders. "Well, if that's true, then you're a really good guy, Spike."

Spike blushed. "Thanks." He rubbed his cheek, trying to think of what to say in response. "You're a really good girl, Sonata Dusk."

Sonata's red eyes looked straight at the ground. "No, I'm not …" She muttered under her breath.

"Hmm?" Spike asked, not hearing what she said, but detecting her voice. "Oh, uh, here. Do you want some of my sandwich?"

Sonata held her hand up. "I'm not hungry …" She glanced to the side. "Well, maybe a little bit … Spike, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Are you going to give up on Rarity?" Sonata asked. "Like, really, really mean it give up forever?"

"Well, yeah, of course …" Spike said, putting his sandwich down on the bench in its wrapping. "She was with Rainbow Dash in secret all that time. There's no way I can compete with that."

"Good." Sonata said, smirking. "Then surely you won't mind if …"

Sonata placed a hand on Spike's cheek, turning him towards her. She leaned in closer, and the two of them blushed.

"Sonata … what are you doing?" Spike asked.

"I meant it when I said you must be a good guy, Spike." Sonata said. "And … you're awfully cute … a girl … would be lucky to have you …"

"I … I …" Spike stammered.

"Oh, shut up and kiss me already."

Sonata grabbed his other cheek and pulled him close, leaning in and giving him a kiss on the lips. Spike moaned as they embraced, kissing back and enjoying Sonata's smooth lips.

Sonata moaned and leaned back, wrapping her arms around Spike's body and pulling him back with her.

Sonata grabbed Spike's hand by the wrist and pulled it towards her, dragging it around and placing it firmly on her breast.

Spike's eyes widened, and he reared back. "W-what?"

"Come on, Spike." Sonata said, pressing Spike's hand into her chest. "Since you're not waiting for Rarity anymore, there's no reason why we can't …"

"Right here? Right now? We're in public! What if someone sees us? What if Twilight sees us? She'll kill both of us. First you for having me do something sexual, and then me for doing something sexual without letting her know what I was doing!"

"Good point, though you had me convinced 'What if someone sees us' without the death threats." Sonata stood up and and pulled Spike up with her. "Let's go somewhere a little more private …"

Sonata dragged Spike away. Spike reached out to grab his sandwich as Sonata towed him.

"Hang on to that sandwich, Spike." Sonata said. "You're going to need it once I'm through with you …"

Spike wasn't entirely sure why Sonata saying this sent a shiver of excitement through his bones, but he was looking forward to finding out.

()()()()()

Sunset and Flash's walk came to a stop by a lake,"

"So that's it, huh?" Flash asked. "Wow … that's … a lot to take in."

"Don't I know it." Sunset said.

"So, are you and Twilight like, friends now? For real?"

"I don't know. I think so, yeah.'

"Alright then. Well, tell her I said hi." Flash said. "I'd better get back to Canterlot and let Celestia know where I've been and that I'm okay." Flash walked away.

"Oh, and Sunset? You could have something great here. Don't mess it up."

"Don't worry. I won't."

Sunset Shimmer waved as Flash Sentry left.

She continued waving after he was gone, her smile fading as she put her hand down.

"Okay, Trixie, you can quit hiding now. Come on out."

Nearby rustled as Trixie popped out from behind him. "You could see me?"

"I'll be honest, good subterfuge requires subtlety … and subtlety is not your strong suit."

"Hmph. Well, you're looking better than the last time I saw you." Trixie quipped.

"Yeah, I decided the whole black and yellow stripes look wasn't for me. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing." Trixie said. Sunset glared at her. "Spying. Just spying on you. You know, to see if you had anything useful for Chrysalis."

"Uh-huh." Sunset nodded.

"Adagio Dazzle's upset you took away her plaything."

"Well, Adagio Dazzle can file a complaint with my employee relations officer."

"You don't have an - oh."

"Now you're getting it." Sunset said. Trixie huffed.

Sunset rubbed her chin in thought. "Trixie, can I ask you a question? Why are you working with Chrysalis?"

"Chrysalis has promised to give Trixie everything Trixie's wanted if she helps Chrysalis with her revenge and taking over Equestria."

"And what is it you want, Trix?"

"Why, revenge, of course!" Trixie exclaimed, spreading her arms out. "Twilight Sparkle and her friends humiliated me when I came to Ponyville! They made me a laughingstock. No one in any town took me or my show seriously anymore. I was ruined, ruined! And it's all Twilight Sparkle's fault. She must pay." Trixie shook her fist. "And don't call me Trix!"

Sunset shook her head. "You know, Trixie, there was a time where I was in the same place you're in, the same mentality that Twilight was somehow to blame for everything wrong in my life. But will getting revenge on Twilight Sparkle really bring back your career? Is it worth selling Equestria out to a monster just to get revenge on one girl?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"You should do what I did, Trixie." Sunset Shimmer said. "Instead of trying to get revenge on Twilight, I let her help me. I made friends with her, and I learned to ..." Sunset took in deep breath and exhaled. "Let go of all my resentment and my grudges against everyone. You should try it. You'll feel so much better afterward. The kind of weight just … _letting go _and forgiving your enemies lifts off your shoulders … oh! It's indescribable."

Sunset snapped her fingers, walking away with her hands pocketed in her blazer. "See you around, Trix."

"I thought I told you - oh, never mind. It's not like you'd listen anyway …"

Trixie turned her attention to the other side of the lake, noticing Rarity and Rainbow Dash approach it.

"Although …" Trixie rubbed her chin as Rarity sat by the lake. "That does give me an idea."

Rarity rested by the lake, admiring its sparkling surface and listening to the calming sounds of the water to relax. She and Rainbow Dash were alarmed when Trixie's shadow fell over Rarity.

"Hello, Rarity!"

"Hello … Trixie." Rarity stood up. "To what do I owe the … pleasure?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." Trixie said. "I was just wondering if … maybe you could help me reform?"

"Reform?" Rarity asked. She looked at Rainbow Dash, who shrugged.

"You know, reform!" Trixie said. She brought an arm over her forehead in a dramatic fashion "Give up my criminal ways. Cut ties with that awful Chrysalis and her minions. You have no idea how much she works me, making me work to the bone!"

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea of how she works you." Rarity said.

"So, what do you say?" Trixie asked. "Maybe I can even help you destroy that evil book. All you have to do is tell me where it is."

"Is that right?" Rarity chuckled, seeing right through Trixie's ploy. "What do you think, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash held up a thumbs-down.

"Come here, Trixie." Rarity beckoned with her finger. "I'll whisper the book's location to you."

Trixie put her ear up towards Rarity, eager to learn the location of the book.

Rarity grabbed Trixie by the shirt and pulled her over.

"Now, you listen here." Rarity whispered. "I know exactly what you're trying to do. I'm not telling you where the book is. If you want to know, you're going to have work very hard to convince me that you genuinely are interested in turning over a new leaf, and aren't just trying to get the book to make Chrysalis happy. Now, if you want to change your ways, then good for you, but don't expect me to so gullible as to tell you where the book is just because you asked. Now, if you come near me and try something like this again ..."

Rarity slapped Trixie across the cheek, hard enough to knock Trixie over.

"I will _cut _you."

Trixie wiped the dirt off her chin with her arm. She glared up at Rarity with bitterness before getting to her feet and scampering away.

"Shouldn't we chase after her?" Rainbow asked.

" … No, no." Rarity answered. "She had her one warning. She won't get another. If we see her again … we will break her. Come along, Rainbow Dash. Suddenly, sitting by this lake doesn't seem so appealing to me." Rarity turned her back to the lake and walked away,

"I know there's a creek nearby Fluttershy's place …"

"Perfect. Let's go there."

* * *

Out in the darkness of the forest, Honeycomb flew over the bushes and trees, her wings buzzing over her body.

"Hmm."

Honeycomb stopped and turned to Chrysalis, who was resting against a tree.

"You seem a woman down … maybe two." Chrysalis observed.

"Yes, that does appear to, mmm, be the case." Honeycomb said.

"I warned you running off with that red-head was a bad idea, didn't I?" Chrysalis asked smugly.

"As I recall, you, mmm, warned me of no such thing, merely attempted to have me stay with you instead." Honeycomb said.

Chrysalis pouted. "Alright, fine. But still, you're out here … all alone." Chrysalis sauntered towards Honeycomb. "With no one to help you or protect if things go awry … suddenly teaming up with me doesn't seem like such a bad option, does it?"

"As a bee, I am more used too, mmm, operating a hive. To be, mmm, by myself is … distressing." Honeycomb wrapped her arms around herself.

Chrysalis offered her a hand, smirking. "Well? I'm here for you."

Honeycomb looked at the hand. She took it without hesitation, and she and Chrysalis shook on it. "Excellent. Welcome to the team, Honeycomb."

* * *

Later in the day, as it approach the evening hours, Rarity and Rainbow Dash returned to the Carousel Boutique. Rarity took out a key and unlocked the door.

"Well, that was nice." Rainbow Dash said. "Sitting by the creek, with you …"

"Indeed." Rarity opened the door. "Are you coming in?"

"Nah." Rainbow Dash said. "I promised Scootaloo a flying lesson, for old time's sake. I'll catch up."

"Very well." Rarity smiled and watched as Rainbow Dash flew off.

Rarity went inside and went to the kitchen. There, she washed her hands under the sink and began preparing to make dinner for everyone. She hummed to herself, pulling out silverware, cutting boards, and bowls.

"Ah ..." Rarity sighed as she carried a bowl over and set it on the table. "Everything is starting to look up."

As she made her way around the kitchen, heard the door to the front entrance click open.

"Back so soon, Rainbow Dash?"

There was no answer.

"Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked again, closing the cupboard she was looking into. "I don't remember inviting any guests over … Sweetie Belle, is that you?"

Still no response.

"Diamond Tiara? Coco Pommel? … Silver Lens?"

No answer, no answer, and … no answer. It occurred to Rarity, even if she was addressing them by the wrong name, the people she was allowing in her house would have the courtesy to reply and clarify who they were, to assure her there was no wrongdoing going on in her house. Even Diamond Tiara in a bad mood would at least oblige and respond to confirm it was her.

Thinking of that, Rarity reached over to the counter. She dug around and pulled out the biggest knife she could find.

Rarity hid the knife behind her back as she approach the kitchen entrance.

"Hello?" She called out into the foyer, peeking her head over. She didn't see anyone … she didn't hear anything.

Being careful to remain light on her feet, lest her footsteps alert the intruders to her presence, Rarity walked into the foyer. She clutched the handle of the knife behind her back, sweeping her eyes over the room to make sure no one was there.

"Huh." Rarity relaxed and let her guard down, the knife going to her side. "I suppose it must have been my imagination. The stress must be getting to me …" Rarity rubbed her head, before thinking about when she was under Cadence's care.

It wasn't her imagination then … why would it be now?

Reaffirming her grip on the handle, Rarity lifted the knife up.

The knife did her no good, as a pair of arms approached from behind, unnoticed, and wrapped around her neck and began to choke her. Gagging and gasping for air, Rarity tried to aim her knife at her attacker.

Aria appeared from behind her, looking at Rarity with a smirk. Rarity changed the course of her knife, flipping it over and attempting to stab Aria in the shoulder.

Aria grabbed Rarity's wrist, holding it still, and she wrested the knife from Rarity's hand. She tossed it on the floor, and grabbed both of Rarity's wrists to keep her from fighting back.

Rarity struggled and flailed. She tried to kick Aria in the gut, but lodging her foot into Aria's stomach seemed to have no effect.

Rarity let out a loud gasp for air before her body went slack. As she faded into unconsciousness, her attacker let go and let her fall to the ground. On her way down, as her eyes began to close, she got a good look at Adagio's smirking face before her eyelids shut together.

Their prey subdued, Adagio Dazzle and Aria went to work on lifting Rarity up, Adagio taking lifted her by the shoulders while Aria lifted her up by the legs. They proceeded to carry Rarity out the door.

* * *

Rarity groaned as she stirred back into consciousness. Groaning, she blinked a few times before opening her eyes and seeing Adagio Dazzle standing in front of her and grinning.

"Hel-lo, Rarity." Adagio purred.

"Hello … Adagio Dazzle, was it?" Rarity replied. She tried to pounce on Adagio, but her arms and legs were tied to a wooden chair. She looked around and saw they were in a cave. Aria and Sonata were on either side of her.

"Sonata Dusk?" Rarity asked. "What are you doing here? Oh … you're one of them, aren't you? I should have known. I should have known all along."

Sonata fiddled with her fingers.

Rarity looked down at her bindings to inspect them. It did not appear she was going to be able to get free of them by struggling. "What do you want?"

"Where's the book, Rarity?" Adagio asked, her sultry tones replaced by a harshness in her voice.

Rarity huffed. "I buried it somewhere … just in case of the event I decided I needed it, for whatever reason. Admittedly, it was more a tactic to scare Shining Armor, really …"

Adagio laughed. "Ha ha ha … cute, Rarity. But knowing that you buried it somewhere doesn't help me. I need to know where it is."

"And why do you need to know?"

"Because it will make Chrysalis happy." Adagio said. She lurched over, placing her hands on the back of the chair. "Now where is it!?"

Rarity huffed again. "I'm not telling you."

Adagio stared at Rarity before recomposing herself and chuckling. She stood up and walked away from the chair. "Alright, fine. You don't want to tell me. But you will want to tell me. I was hoping it wouldn't - well, that's a lie. I was so hoping it would come to this."

Adagio pulled off her vest, slinking it off with a flirty shake of her body. She pulled up her shirt, revealing her engorged breasts, with her large, dark nipples leaking milk.

Rarity's eyes widened in panic.

"Do you like?" Adagio asked, rubbing her nails. "Chrysalis's spell for milk really does some good for your cup size, doesn't it? I happen to know you like milk, Rarity, so … pucker up."

Rarity flailed in vain, still trying to work her out of the rope. Adagio leaned over her and chuckled before plunging her breast into Rarity's mouth, forcing her nipple through Rarity's lips. Adagio took her hand and wrapped it around her breast, giving it a squeeze and spewing milk into Rarity's mouth. Rarity closed her eyes and winced.

"That's it …" Adagio purred, massaging and squeezing her sphere, her flesh rippling beneath her fingers. "Just accept it, Rarity. Be a good girl, won't you? You know you can't resist …"

"Mmmmmnnn." Rarity gave out a weak, frightened noise.

Adagio chuckled again. "Heh. You know there's no escape … there's no one to help you. No one even knows you're gone yet, and by the time they do, they'll never be able to get here in time. So why not make it easier on yourself? Accept it. Give in."

Rarity let out another pitiful whine. She began to suckle Adagio's nipple, moving her head back and forth on the breast, making the milk in her mouth slosh around.

"Yes!" Adagio growled, cracking a frightening grin. "Yes, that's it! Suck!_ Suck!_ You know you want to. You know this is everything you want. Yeesss … milk is your favorite, isn't it, Rarity? Especially when it's _warm_ and _fresh_, straight from the _source,_ ha ha ha!" Adagio sighed and relaxed, letting Rarity nurse her teat.

Aria raised up an eyebrow. "Adagio …"

"What?" Adagio snapped. "Can't you see Rarity and I are busy here?"

"Yeah, I know, I know, but … Adagio, she's not swallowing."

"What?" Adagio looked down and saw Rarity's cheeks were swollen. Milk was dripping down her chin … but there wasn't a single lump in her throat, and come to think of, Adagio couldn't remember hearing Rarity gulp.

Rarity jerked her head, and the milk inside her mouth went sloshing and bouncing around …

Right up to where it struck her square in the uvula, triggering an instant reflex. Rarity's mouth snapped open, and a surge of white, bubbly fluid of questionable nature gushed out, a mixture of Adagio's milk and Rarity's own fluids. It sprayed all over Adagio's breasts, covering them in Rarity's spit and vomit.

Adagio had an understandable reaction to getting her chest vomited on, grimacing and tensing her hands up while the fluid dripped off her. Aria chuckled, while Sonata expressed concern.

Rarity made a satisfied smirk, even though white fluid was dripping off her chin. "Heh. See, I wasn't worried … because I knew, if I could just get up enough, I could make it hit my uvula, so I didn't have to swallow your poisons." Rarity glared at Adagio.

"I've just spent the last morning digging myself out of that pit. You'll not drag me back into it again."

"You - you - you!" Adagio stammered, at a loss for words. She slapped Rarity hard across the cheek, knocking Rarity's head to the side.

Adagio heaved a big sigh. "I'm going to go clean this off. You two, figure out a way to break her while I'm gone." Adagio turned around and walked further into the cave.

"Chrysalis's milk is supposed to be foolproof." Adagio muttered as she walked away. "It can bend someone to her will on contact. How did she resist it?"

"Maybe she's immune?" Sonata Dusk suggested.

Rarity lifted an eyebrow in thought. Given her experiences, acquiring an immunity to any drugged, brainwashing breast milk certainly wouldn't have been the least crazy thing to happen to her. It seemed a reasonable theory.

"Don't be stupid, Sonata." Aria said. "It's obviously not that, obviously she …"

"Well?" Sonata asked. "I'm waiting."

"Shut up." Aria said. "I'll figure something out."

"Uh, gee … Rarity sure made a big mess." Sonata Dusk said, changing subjects. "Hey, Aria, I think Adagio might need some help cleaning that all of. Why don't you go help her?"

Aria gave Sonata a questioning glare before agreeing. "Yeah, alright. Maybe I can figure out what Rarity did while I'm there."

Aria left the room, such as it was, following after Adagio's path.

Once she was gone, Sonata grabbed the knot holding Rarity's hands together. She tugged at it, trying to untie it. "Uh, nope. I'm not gonna be able to figure this one myself. That's why Aria does all the knots, I guess …"

Sonata Dusk began to look around the cave. She got on her knees and ran her hands over the bedrock floor. "Ah! This should do it."

Sonata Dusk picked up a rock of sufficient jaggedness to make a decent cutting instrument. She began to hack at the ropes binding Rarity's, digging the rock into the fibers, banging the stone into the knots until it came undone and Rarity's hands were free. Sonata went to do the same to the ropes binding Rarity's legs.

"Go." Sonata told her, tossing the rock to the ground. "Go on. Get out of here."

Rarity stood up. She rubbed her wrists and looked at Sonata Dusk. Rarity reared up her arm and hooked it around Sonata's neck, pulling her close in a chokehold.

Rarity leered at her with suspicion. "Why are you helping me?"

Sonata grunted and tugged at Rarity's arm, trying to pry off. "For … Spike." Sonata choked out. "He knows there's no chance of you being with him anymore, but … he still cares about you. He wants to be your friend, and … I want to be with him, and he would be … so upset if he found you were captured by my sisters and I didn't do anything to help you."

Rarity relaxed and began to ease her arm off Sonata's neck. She smiled. "You know, Sonata … maybe you're not such a bad girl after all."

Sonata smiled back. "Thanks. Now, go, get out of here."

"But what about you? Won't the others get upset when they find out you helped me?"

"I'll tell them you overwhelmed me and were able to escape."

"Ah, good, good … and …" Rarity glared at her. "This isn't some kind of ploy to get me to trust you, is it? You've haven't planted something on me, have you?"

"No."

"Good."

Rarity slugged Sonata across the cheek, knocking her into the chair.

"Ow! What was that for?" Sonata rubbed her cheek.

"You said I overwhelmed you, right?" Rarity answered. "It'll be a lot easier to believe if you have some kind of bruise."

Sonata made a little round 'o' with her mouth, appreciating Rarity's cleverness. She waved goodbye as Rarity ran and darted out of the cave.

"Sonata!" Adagio exclaimed, returning with Aria, having cleaned herself off and put her clothes back on. "What happened?"

"Rarity …" Sonata gasped, making sure to play up her fake injuries. "Rarity managed to get out of her bindings. She overwhelmed me and escaped."

"How?" Aria asked. She went over to the rope and inspected them. "I made sure those knots were as tight as possible …" Aria picked up one of the ropes. "It looks like she cut them somehow …"

"Are you okay?" Adagio asked, placing a hand on Sonata's cheek.

"Yeah." Sonata answered as Adagio help lifted her off the chair. "I'm fine."

"Ooh …" Adagio clenched her fist. "Rarity is going to pay for this. But for now, dear why don't we get you something for your cheek?"

"Yeah, sure …"

* * *

At her most recent base, Chrysalis was pacing, Honeycomb at her side, brainstorming how she could best utilize Honeycomb's talents now the Changeling Queen had the bee under her control.

Adagio Dazzle approached Chrysalis, shuffling on her feet, biting her lip, and leaning over in a position ripe to bend down and beg for forgiveness.

"Ah, Adagio Dazzle." Chrysalis said. "I'm glad you're here. Say hi to Honeycomb, our newest member."

Adagio gave a half-hearted wave, not paying attention to Honeycomb. Honeycomb responded in kind.

Chrysalis noticed Adagio's worried expression. "What's wrong, dear?"

"Chrysalis, forgive me …" Adagio got to her knees. "I'm sorry. I lost Flash Sentry … and I lost Rarity before I could coax her into telling me the whereabouts of the book. I lost them both in one day. I'm sorry … please forgive me."

"Ooh." Chrysalis cooed. She braced her fingers against Adagio's chin. "It's okay. I forgive you, dear." Chrysalis lifted Adagio's head up and gave her a kiss. "We'll find some other way to get at Twilight Sparkle."

Adagio beamed. She stood up, bowed to her mistress, and walked away to rest.

Aria kept a suspicious eye on Adagio Dazzle as she passed by.

"Oh no." Aria groaned, making a realization.

"What?" Adagio asked, crossing her arms.

"You're falling for her." Aria said. "You're falling in love with Chrysalis, if you haven't already."

"And so what if I have?" Adagio asked. "What, may I ask, is so wrong with falling in love?"

"Everything." Aria said. "We're Sirens, Adagio. We're not supposed to fall in love. We're supposed to feed on it, to consume it and swallow it whole and eat artificial love. Falling in love, real love, that's … that's the nasty stuff. It's a synthetic, and it tastes gross." Aria sniffed the air and glared at Sonata. "Oh … and you've fallen for it, too. Ugh."

Sonata shifted uncomfortably on her feet. Aria stuck her tongue out and left in disgust.

"Just ignore her, Sonata." Adagio said. "She's just jealous. So, who's your lucky girl?"

Sonata blushed. "I'd … rather not say."

"Oh, a secret romance, huh?" Adagio said. "That's okay. I understand. You don't have to tell me." Adagio patted Sonata's shoulder before leaving and continuing on her own way.

* * *

The next morning, Sweetie Belle stood out by a bay, her dress billowing in the wind, the sea spray splashing around the sand and filling her nose with the scent of salty waters.

She stared into the water, thinking on what Rarity had said to her.

Sweetie Belle began to cry and sniffle, her tears curving around her eyes. She thought she knew what she wanted … she thought she wanted Scootaloo, but now … she wasn't sure anymore.

"Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle turned around and was elated to see Scootaloo standing behind her. "Scootaloo?"

"Yeah, it's me." Scootaloo said, holding her arms out. "I know things haven't been easy the last couple of days, but I'm here now. I'm here for you. We can be a couple, like you wanted."

Sweetie gasped and sniffed, covering her mouth to reign in her emotions. "Oh, Scootaloo!"

Sweetie Belle ran up to Scootaloo to embrace her. She buried her head into Scootaloo's chest.

Scootaloo smiled and let Sweetie Belle come to her, wrapping her arms around Sweetie Belle's back.

Sweetie Belle opened her eyes when she felt heat radiating off Scootaloo's body. She looked up. She was horrified when she saw a green fire coming off Scootaloo's body, and the disguise melted away, revealing the Changeling underneath.

The Changeling reached out and grabbed Sweetie Belle by the shoulders … and there was no around to hear her scream.

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Relapse"**

**That cliffhanger might be a bit jammed in. I apologize.**

**Proofread by gunstarx.**


	9. Vaccination

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison**

**Chapter 9**

**Vaccination**

* * *

"Uuughh …" Rarity groaned, opening the door to her house. She had meant to swing it wide open and slam it against the wall to grab someone's attention, but she was so tired after being tied up and running as fast she could to get away from the cave. She limped inside, her legs staggering, her bunch hunched over, and collapsed against the door in exhaustion. This, at least drew the attention she was wanting.

"Rarity?" Rainbow Dash came out of their bedroom and looked over the rail, rubbing a tired. "What are you doing coming back so late at … night?" Rainbow's eyes widened when she saw Rarity's injured, tired state, and she rushed down the stairs to comfort her beau, running up to the door and wrapping her arms around Rarity, letting her rest her head on Dash's chest.

"Oh my gosh, Rarity, are you okay?" Dash asked. She cupped Rarity's cheek. "What happened?"

"Chrysalis' little _pets_ came by and kidnapped me." Rarity answered. "They ambushed me in the kitchen and overwhelmed me. Through some stroke of luck, I managed to escape … with some help." Rarity nuzzled her head into Dash's chest.

"Oh, Rarity, I'm so sorry …" Dash closed her heads and rested her chin on Rarity's scalp. "I should have been there … I should have been able to protect you."

"It's quite alright, my love." Rarity assured her. "They were so quiet, I barely noticed them … I don't think anybody was expecting them to come to our house and be able to sneak in the way they did."

"Aaauuh." Dash groaned. "We need to do something about Chrysalis and her little band of - of - of guppies."

"Agreed." Rarity said. "But what can we do?"

"I don't know." Dash shook her head. "

"We'll try to figure out in the morning."

"Yup." In the meantime, you could use some rest. Let's get you to bed and … just hope no else comes to cause us trouble for the rest of the night." Rainbow Dash began to walk Rarity towards the bedroom. "You've been through a rough night. Are you hungry? Could you use a snack? Maybe some … um, milk? But not, like, the pervy kind, you know, the carton stuff. The one you get in the store."

"No, no." Rarity said. "I just want to go to bed … with you. Although … I have a question for you, Rainbow …"

"Shoot."

"'Guppies'?"

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Look, it's late and I'm tired, okay? It was all I could think of."

"Okay." Rarity smiled. She cupped Dash's cheek. "My little guppy."

"Staaaahp." Dash complained through a smile and a blush.

"I can't help it, Dash. You're so cute when you're embarrassed …"

"Heh." Rainbow Dash chuckled and carried Rarity the rest of the way to bed, where they could both sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

To Rarity's and Dash's mercy and relief, no else came to their house in the middle of the night trying to enact any more kidnapping schemes. After waking up and making sure they were both presentable, the first thing they did was they went up to Twilight's house and knocked on the door.

"Oh. Hey, girls." Twilight greeted them upon opening the door. "What can I do for you?"

"It's Chrysalis." Rarity said. "Her little cronies kidnapped me last night. I managed to escape, but … I think this has gone on long enough, and so does Rainbow Dash. Don't you?"

Dash nodded.

"We need a plan." Rarity said.

Twilight, worrying, dug her teeth into a lip, bringing her knuckles up to her chin. She nodded. "Okay. I'll go get the rest of the girls, and we'll start working on a plan. It might take me awhile, since it's still the morning … they'll probably have just woken up, and Applejack will want to do chores."

"I understand. Take all the time you need." Rarity said. Twilight smiled and closed the door. Rarity promptly turned around and walked away. "And as a bonus, that will give me the time to attend some things I need to do …"

"Rarity?" Dash asked. "Where are you going?"

"I'm off to a meeting, Rainbow Dash." Rarity said. "Honestly, you can't expect me to just hang around doing nothing while Twilight gathers the rest of friends, can you? I have appointments to make, promises to keep!"

"But … you just got back." Dash said. "You were kidnapped last night, Rarity, kidnapped!"

"Yes, I was." Rarity said. "Which only makes all the more important I get this done before something else unfortunate happens. Don't worry. I'll be careful."

Dash's wings sagged and she frowned. "Promise me you won't take too long?"

Rarity spun back around and put her fingers on Dash's chin. She gave Dash a kiss. "I promise. Now if you'll excuse me, I really must be off …"

* * *

Elsewhere, Fleur-de-lis made her way towards the building where the support group attended by Dash met. As she walked, she held up an enigmatic card in her hand, inviting her to the building.

_Dear Fleur-de-lis_

_Please attend the seminar at this address, which will begin at 11 in the morning._

_I hope to see you there._

Why the card was so vague on purpose was odd to Fleur, but she recognized the handwriting as Rarity's, so she trusted it, even if she wondered why Rarity felt the need for the obfuscation.

Entering the building, she made her way inside to the room Rarity had specified.

"Oh." Fleur said, seeing Sunset Shimmer sitting on a chair inside the room. "Hello. I wasn't expecting anyone else to be here."

"I wasn't either." Sunset said. She stood up and offered her hand to Fleur-de-lis. "Sunset Shimmer. You are?"

Fleur hesitated, as handshakes were not the preferred method for Canterlot ladies to greet each other, but shook Sunset's hand and introduced herself. "I'm Fleur-de-lis. Fancypants' wife."

Sunset gave an awkward smile. " … who?"

"Fancypants?" Fleur said. "Only one of the richest, most-influential, non-royal people in all of Canterlot? That Fancypants? Wears a monocle which he pretends is for show, but he does actually have bad eyesight?"

"I'm sorry." Sunset said. "I've been … _away_ from home for a long time, so I'm not entirely abreast of what's happening on the social scene."

Fleur winced. She wrapped her arms around her chest, thinking back to her recent experiences. "Did you have to say 'abreast'? You couldn't have just said 'up to date'?"

" … sorry." Sunset rubbed the back of her head. She should have known better. She had been a honey-lactating bee-creature for the last few days.

"Ah!" Rarity appeared in the doorway and slid her way around Fleur. "Fleur! So glad that you managed to come! And Sunset Shimmer is here too, I see."

Fleur smiled while Sunset grew impatient.

"Yes, yes, we're all here. Now, Rarity, if you wouldn't mind explaining why you called us up and what it is we're doing here?" Sunset asked.

"Of course." Rarity said, putting her hands together. "I went to a support group for those. suffering with addictions. As much as I hate to admit it, it … it really helped. So, I got to thinking. I was inspired. Going on from their example, I made this; I'd like to welcome you both to the first monthly meeting of Rarity's Ex-Monsters Support Group."

"'Ex-Monsters?'" Sunset asked.

Fleur looked at Sunset before turning back to Rarity. "Rarity, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're not monsters."

"Oh really?" Rarity crossed her arms. "So, Sunset, you weren't a bee-woman until fairly recently, and Fleur, you weren't infected by a mind-controlling slime parasite inside you? And neither of you have any trauma from that? Or did you both just happen to forget those tiiiny little details?"

Fleur and Sunset grimaced in embarrassment.

Fleur quickly changed the subject. She held up her card. "And why were you so vague on the invitation?"

"Because I thought if you two knew what this was supposed to be about, you might decide to not come, even though you both need this."

"And you didn't think not telling us might also lead to us deciding not to come?" Sunset asked, raising an eyebrow. "Some of us prefer to know where we're going. You can't always expect our curiosity to beat our caution."

"Ah, but you came, didn't you? Enough. Come, sit down." Rarity said, gesturing to the chairs. She took the lead, being the first among them to sit. Fleur and Sunset did as they were told. "Talk to me, girls. Tell me what's been on your mind. What's bothering you? And I know something _has_ to be bothering you. Trust me, girls. I've been through the exact same thing you have." Rarity gestured a hand to her heart. "Tell me what's wrong."

Fleur and Sunset looked at each other.

"Don't be shy." Rarity said.

"I guess I'll go first." Sunset Shimmer said. She took a deep breath and sighed. "After … Twilight did what she did, I felt … humiliated. I was embarrassed. I was just so angry, and I blamed her for anything in my life that went wrong from that point on. I … I made up and sold myself this false narrative about me taking back the old life Twilight took from me, and I just kept telling it to myself over and over until I believed it. I was convinced that was what happened, when … it wasn't." Sunset looked at the ground.

"And I got so … so caught up in trying to take back what I thought I lost, I came back here … even though I had a perfectly good life waiting for me in my new home. I came back home to take my anger out on Twilight, and I was so consumed by the thought of taking petty revenge on her that I … I didn't realize that what she took from me was something I was better off without, and I let myself get turned into a bee monster. Into a drone. Into a weapon. I had my body … changed against my will, and instead of being the domineering, sultry, manipulate mistress I thought I was. I was a stinger for someone else to point at whatever they wanted."

Sunset took a deep breath and sighed. She gave a bright smile.

"Wow." Sunset put a finger to her chin. "Thanks, Rarity. That really did help. I had no idea confessing all that could take so much weight off my shoulders …"

"I know." Rarity said. "I felt the same way after I confessed to my other group." Rarity turned to Fleur. Fleur-de-lis, that makes it your turn."

Fleur's eyebrows raised. "Why does it have to be my turn? Why can't it be your turn?"

"Because I've already been through all of this and gotten through it. Well, more or less …"

Fleur hung her head and sighed. "Fine." She looked up at the ceiling, her pink locks falling on her shoulder. "I guess … I guess I'm just worried."

"About?" Sunset gave Fluer a needed prod.

"Worried it's going to come back again." Fleur said. "Worried my infection will be back. That one day, without warning, a little bit of orange will drip out of my mouth, and the next thing I know, I'll be force feeding Fancypants milk until he vomits."

Rarity pursed her lips and looked away.

"That maybe I enjoyed it too much. That maybe I'll do it again, that I'll _want_ to do it again, that I'm … I'm a bad person because I enjoyed it. I liked it. I liked feeling powerful. I liked being able to make others do what I want and taking control of them with my tentacles and my milk."

Fleur teared up.

"I … I liked being the hunter. The predator. I liked when found Applejack out alone in her orchard, I liked barging in and tearing down the boards of your room, Rarity … I … " Fleur's voice broke, and her tears pooled down the sides of her face. "I'm a bad person, I'm a bad person …" Fleur put her hands over her face as she sobbed. Sunset Shimmer wasn't sure what to do.

Rarity got up and walked over to Fleur. She grabbed Fleur's wrists and took her hands off her face. Fleur looked up at Rarity with an open jaw, not sure what to think of what Rarity was doing. Rarity wrapped her wrapped her arms around Fleur's head and pulled Fleur into her chest.

"It's alright." Rarity said. "Let it all out. Let out your tears." Fleur wrapped her arms around Rarity's waist and sobbed her into chest. "It's okay. That's what we're here to do. To release all those horrible feelings inside."

Rarity nuzzled Fleur's head.

"I forgive you. Applejack forgives you. You're not a bad person, Fleur-de-lis. You're just as much a victim as Applejack or even myself. You are not a bad person. Okay?"

Fleur took her head out of Rarity's chin. Fleur taking her arm and wiping away the tears from her face. She looked up at Rarity and nodded.

"Well, I think this has been a rather successful test run for our first day." Rarity said. "But after that display of waterworks, I think it would be best to call it for the day, before another one of us shares something that makes us break down into tears. I think one emotionally heavy moment is enough for one meeting, don't you?"

Fleur chuckled. She and Sunset both nodded.

Rarity clapped her hands. "I hereby declare the first meeting of Rarity's Ex-Monsters Support Group concluded … and a success."

Fleur and Sunset got out of their seats.

"Thanks, Rarity." Fleur said. "That … that really did help."

"Think nothing of it, darling."

Fleur put her hands on Rarity's shoulders. She and Rarity gave each other kisses on the cheek. They looked towards Sunset Shimmer, who wasn't participating in the goodbye ceremony.

"Oh, um." Sunset held up her hands and backed away. "I'm not really the 'cheek kisses' kind of person. A simple wave will do." Sunset waved goodbye, making her way to the door before Rarity and Fleur forcefully dragged her into partaking in the smoochin'. "Bye!"

"Hmm." Rarity chuckled at Sunset's obvious avoidance.

Fleur put hands together over her chest. She looked up at Rarity. "Are you really sure I'm not a bad person?"

Rarity put a hand on Fleur's shoulder. "No worse than I am, dear."

Fleur smiled. "Alright … bye, Rarity. I guess I'll see you again soon. When's the next meeting?"

"Honestly, I haven't decided yet." Rarity said. "But when I do, you and Sunset will be the first to know."

Rarity waved goodbye as Fleur left the room.

After Fleur had gone, Rarity left the building and went outside. She stopped in front of the building, resting one hand on her hip.

"You know …" Rarity said. "Come to think of it, it's just occurred to me I haven't Sweetie Belle all morning … I would think I would have surely at least _seen_ her somewhere … "

* * *

There was a knock at Carousel Boutique.

Rainbow Dash zipped to the door and opened, hoping it was Rarity. It was Suri.

"Oh." Rainbow said. "It's you. What do you want?"

"Hello." Suri smiled nervously. "I was wondering if … maybe I could talk to Diamond Tiara?"

"You can try." Dash said. "Diamond Tiara! It's for you!"

"What? What is it?" Diamond wondered as she came to the front. She saw Suri and had the expected reaction. "Oh. It's you." Diamond crossed her arms.

"It's me." Suri said. "Um … I understand if you say no, but, I was wondering … Diamond Tiara, if you would join me for lunch?"

Diamond pursed her lips, evidently thinking about it.

"Fine." Diamond said, walking up to Suri and moving past her out the door. Diamond pointed at Suri. "But understand I'm just coming with you for free food, nothing else."

Suri nodded and let Diamond pass. She gave Dash an apologetic smile for the awkward scene. Dash rolled her eyes and began the close the door, which Suri took as a cue for her leave before Diamond got too far ahead of her.

* * *

Rarity returned to her home, locking the door behind her. Rainbow Dash, enthused to see her, rushed out and bent over the side of the stair rail.

"You're back!"

"Yes, darling, I am." Rarity said.

"Twilight's still gathering the rest of the gang." Rainbow Dash said. "Apparently, Discord decided now would be a good time to pull off some kinda prank … I've been told Fluttershy's house is covered in orange pulp.:

"Of course he did. I'm sure he only meant to provide amusement, and was just trying to give her a good laugh. Celestia knows we could all use one. Have you seen Sweetie Belle today?"

"Sweetie Belle?" Dash said. She rubbed her chin. "Now that you mention it … I don't think I have."

"Mmm. Troublesome." Rarity said. "Between everything that's happened, especially with Chrysalis and company, not seeing her doesn't bode well …"

"You don't think something's happened to her? That they have her?"

"It's a definite possibility, and we can't rule it out." Rarity said. "But I want to look around town and ask if anyone else has seen before we start to panic."

Rarity and Rainbow Dash went outside and split up to search the town.

"Scootaloo?" Rarity asked, finding Scootaloo hanging out by a luncheon. "Hello, there, darling. Given what's happened between you two lately, I understand if this is a terribly awkward question to ask, but have you seen Sweetie Belle lately?"

"No." Scootaloo said. "Why? Is she missing?"

"It's starting to look that way …" Rarity said with a grimace.

Rainbow Dash went to the place where neither she nor Rarity liked to visit or think about. Thinking outside the box, she went to Silver Lens' building and knocked on the door.

Silver Lens answered with professional haste, surprised to see Rainbow Dash there. "Oh. Hello, Um … what - what can I do for you, Miss Dash?"

"Have you seen Sweetie Belle?" Rainbow asked. "She's been going through a lot lately, and Rarity and I figured she might have come to you to talk about it in a session."

"I'm flattered you think so highly of me." Silver Lens said. "But no, I'm afraid I haven't seen Sweetie Belle. She certainly didn't schedule a session with me."

"Not good." Dash clenched her fist. "Thanks." Dash turned to leave.

"Rainbow Dash, wait!"

Dash looked over her shoulder.

"I'm … sorry." Silver Lens said. "About what happened, and the role I played in allowing it to happen."

Dash turned away from her. She scoffed.

"Yeah, alright …"

Dash resumed walking.

Having searched everywhere around Ponyville they could and combing through all of Sweetie Belle's usual hangouts, Rarity and Rainbow Dash met up at the front of their house, both of them with slight panic, Dash's wings bristling uncomfortably.

"I can't find her anywhere." Dash said. "I tried their old clubhouse. I tried all the restaurants I know she likes. Heck, I even tried their old school, just to see if maybe she was feeling nostalgic, but the teacher said she hadn't seen her."

Rarity made fists. "Oh no … I looked everywhere I could. I tried the ice cream joints, the arcade, everywhere I know Scootaloo likes in case she might have been trying to study her …"

Rarity rested her hand on the door and leaned against the Boutique. She ran a hand over her forehead and through her hair.

"There's no denying it." Rarity said. "My little sister Sweetie Belle is missing."

* * *

Sunset Shimmer walked around the forest, hands in the pockets of her leather blazer, ready to head on home and leave this whole mess behind her.

_At least until the next meeting, I guess._ She thought.

Sunset stopped, hearing something coming from the woods.

"Aaaah … aaaah … aaaah …"

Sunset was immediately entranced. She didn't notice the thin tendrils of green mist seeping out from the trees, slipping between branches and going towards her as if they were reaching out to grab her. A green glow in her eyes, Sunset, hunching over, walked towards the source of the noise. Such melodious music, such wondrous sound! It enchanted her. It called to her. It was the most beautiful singing Sunset had ever heard, even if was just the same few lyrics repeated over and over. The repetition did nothing to diminish its beauty. If anything, it enhanced it, showing how its grace and allure could overcome the fallibility of infirm, feeble songwriters.

Sunset arrived at a swampy part of the forest. She walked through the mud, stomping her boot into the muck, not caring about filth as long as she could find the source of the music.

It was a gorgeous woman clad in purple, resting against a tree with her hands over her chest.

"Aaaah … aaaah …" Adagio Dazzle continued to sing, before stopping, taking notice of Sunset Shimmer. "Oh, hello. And you are?"

"Sun …" Sunset stammered, still taken by her beauty. "Sunset Shimmer."

"Sunset Shimmer." Adagio nodded. "Nice name." Adagio walked up to her.

Sunset stared, transfixed. She paid close attention to Adagio's shaking hips as Adagio made her way over. Adagio put her fingers on Sunset's chin, causing Sunset to moan in pleasure. She was overwhelmed that a beauty like Adagio would even take notice of her, much less recognize her presence with a physical gesture.

Adagio drew her finger around Sunset's chin, walking in a circle around her. She cupped Sunset's cheek and ran her hand through Sunset's hair before completing her loop.

"Hey …" Sunset said, beginning to recognize Adagio. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before? With Chrysalis?"

Adagio, not losing her cool, chuckled. "Maybe you did, but don't take that to mean anything. She was just someone I was with because it was convenient for me. I'm no longer with her. Oh, no, no, no, see, now … " Adagio pinched Sunset's chin. "Now you have my interest, Sunset Shimmer."

"I - I do?"

"Oh, **_yes._**" Adagio hissed in a low, low octave which made Sunset's heart absolutely melt into a puddle, and turned her knees to jelly. "You, Sunset Shimmer, with your beauty, your lovely body, your gorgeous red hair ..." Adagio flicked one of Sunset's bangs. "You have my … undivided attention, Sunset."

Adagio walked Sunset again, brushing her fingers along Sunset's shoulders.

"But there is one thing." Adagio said. "Aren't you friends with one … Twilight Sparkle?"

"I think so, yeah … yes. We're friends." Sunset moved and sniffed Adagio's shoulder, taking in her scent.

Adagio chuckled. "Would you mind telling me … where and when I can find Twilight at her most vulnerable? What's her schedule? What are her habits? What are her weaknesses, her strengths?"

"Vulnerable?" Sunset asked. "No … Twilight's my friend."

Adagio went behind Sunset Shimmer. She reached her hands up Sunset's body before wrapping her hands around Sunset's breasts, curling her fingers on them one by one before giving Sunset a tight squeeze.

"I want to be your friend, too, Sunset Shimmer …" Adagio whispered into Sunset's ear. Adagio massaged Sunset's breasts, rubbing her palms up and down. "But to do that, I need to be sure you can be honest with me. What can you tell me about Twilight Sparkle?"

"But …"

Adagio stuck out her tongue. Hissing with anticipation to continue her seduction of Sunset Shimmer and take her, in mind and body, Adagio gave Sunset's ear a long, drawn out lick.

"Ooooh-whoa." Sunset moaned and shivered.

A massive blue blast flew in from the west, striking Adagio Dazzle and knocking her off Sunset Shimmer, throwing her into the mud.

Sunset groaned and rubbed her forehead. She stood where she was in a daze, beginning to come out of Adagio's trance without Adagio's teasing and exciting her.

Rarity marched in, her hands burning with blue flame. She stepped in front of Adagio, slamming her foot into the muck to make splash and get Adagio's attention. Adagio groaned and rubbed her head.

"Where's Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked.

Adagio looked up at Rarity and chuckled. "I don't know. What makes you think I have her?"

"I'm in no mood to play your games, Adagio Dazzle." Rarity said. "You kidnapped me last night. I escaped. It stands to reason that, if you couldn't get me, Chrysalis put you up to kidnapping my sister."

"Actually, Chrysalis and I are no longer working together." Adagio said with a smirk.

"Hmm. For some reason, I don't believe you."

Rarity reached out her hand to the forest. Enveloping a large tree limb with her magic's blue glow, Rarity snapped the tree branch and brought it 'round, twirling it like a boomerang before she bludgeoned Adagio in the face with it.

"I am not going to ask you again. Where is Sweetie Belle? What have you done with her? Where is my sister, you _tart?_"

Adagio kept up her arrogant smile, only interrupted when she wiped the blood trickling off her chin. "Like I told you, I don't know. I didn't have anything to do with your sister … and I don't where Chrysalis might be keeping her."

"I thought you said you were no longer with Chrysalis?" Rarity asked. Adagio's smile faltered, but she resumed it, looking up at Rarity with a confident expression.

Rarity adjusted the branch. She aimed the sharper tip of the branch at Adagio's neck, taking aim. This was enough deterrent to wipe the smile off her face completely.

Rarity wiled the branch to rear up and back.

"Oof!" Sunset Shimmer tackled Rarity from the side, bringing them both into the muck and causing Rarity to lose her focus, making her lose the telekinetic hold of the branch and drop it into the water next to them, where it splashed. Adagio, not one to waste an opportunity, got to her feet and dashed off into the forest.

"Ugggh! Aaaugh!" Frustrated both at being covered in grime and losing Adagio, Rarity sat upright and threw Sunset Shimmer off. Rarity stood up and dusted her clothes off, while Sunset got to her feet.

Rarity turned to and glared at Sunset. "You shouldn't have interrupted me."

"What was I supposed to do, Rarity?" Sunset asked. "You were going to kill her!" She gestured her arm out.

"Well, yes! That _was_ the idea!" Rarity snapped. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"So what, I was just supposed to stand by and let you take a life?" Sunset asked. "That goes against everything Celestia taught me."

"Celestia isn't here right now!" Rarity barked. "Honestly, Sunset Shimmer … you say you've changed. I want to believe you've changed. But after that little display and saving her life, how I do know you're not actually one of them? One of those siren … monsters?"

Sunset gasped and covered her mouth in shock at the word. Her eyes watered and she sobbed. Sunset shook her head to clear her thoughts, wiping the tears away on her leather sleeve. She socked Rarity in the cheek, knocking Rarity back into the mud.

Sunset turned around, clenching her fists.

"I did the right thing." Sunset said. "The morally … right thing. Even if it was a little _inconvenient_ to you. Taking someone's life isn't something you should do lightly, Rarity. It's not something you do on impulse."

Sunset walked off, trekking through the muck.

Rarity growled and pushed her hands down into the mud, trying to push herself up. She called after Sunset as she walked away. "Traitor."

"Psychopath." Sunset shot back.

Rarity turned away. Glancing her eyes back at Sunset only once, she glared at the air, lying there in the mud and fuming, yet recognizing Sunset had a point. She needed to sit, cool off, and calm down before she did something there was no going back from.

* * *

"Chrysalis! Chrysalis!" Adagio complained, clutching at her head, running through to the forest to Chrysalis' current location.

"What is it, dear?" Chrysalis as Adagio ran up to her and embraced her, wrapping her arms around Chrysalis' body and resting her head on Chrysalis.

"That mean, nasty Rarity hit me with a branch!" Adagio complained, sounding like a child. She put her hand back on her head. "And it really hurt, too!" Adagio moved her head, and her eyes shrunk in fear when she saw blood on her fingerless glove.

"Ssh." Chrysalis leaned down and gave Adagio's wound a kiss. Chrysalis separated from Adagio.

Sweetie Belle was sitting on a rock, entranced. Her eyes were wide open and tinted green.

Chrysalis put a finger beneath Sweetie Belle's chin and waved her hand in front of Sweetie's face. Sweetie Belle's mouth gasped and opened like a dispensing machine, green mist flying out from inside. Chrysalis weaved her hand through the mist, coiling it and spooling it around her fingers. Chrysalis went back to Adagio, touching the spooled mist to the wound on her head. The mist winded its way into the wound and healed Adagio, sewing the wound up and regenerating her skin.

"Don't worry, my dear." Chrysalis stroked Adagio's chin. "Soon, you won't have to worry about Rarity any longer … none of us will. None of us will have to worry about Twilight or _any_ of her friends any longer."

Adagio smiled, happy to simply have Chrysalis' touch upon her.

Aria Blaze stuck her tongue out in disgust. Sonata curled her hands uncomfortably. Sonata hopped down from the rock she was on, continuing to rub her hands together.

"Well, um, if you'll excuse me …" Sonata Dusk said. "I'm gonna go be … somewhere else. Yeah." Sonata walked off.

"That's fine." Chrysalis waved her hand, not really paying attention.

Aria glared at Sonata as the latter made their departure. Sonata could feel Aria's eyes burning on her back until she was out of sight.

"Ugh." Aria groaned, disgusted with Adagio slobbering over Chrysalis like a malnourished puppy who only got treats from her and no one else, and suspicious of Sonata Dusk.

"Hey, Chrysalis?"

"Yes?" Chrysalis said.

"I got a suggestion for you." Aria said. "Don't trust Sonata Dusk. Keep an eye on her."

"Hmm. Noted." Chrysalis said before turning her attention away.

"Well." Aria rubbed her hands together, getting ready for action. "I'm the only true siren left. I guess that leaves it up to me. I need a plan … and I have one."

Aria swiveled on her seat and jumped off her rock perch with much more enthusiasm and energy than Sonata's dainty hop down. Not bothering to let Chrysalis or lovesick Adagio know where she was going, Aria Blaze snuck away, tiptoeing.

* * *

Rarity rested on her kitchen table, burying her head in her arms, sobbing and crying while Rainbow Dash patted her on the back. She was having a bit of a breakdown in regards to Sweetie Belle.

"I … I should have been able to keep better track of her." Rarity cried. "I should have been able to protect her, to keep her safe."

"I know, I know." Rainbow Dash said. "I know _exactly_ how you feel, Rarity … how did you think I felt when you come last night and told me you'd been nabbed?"

Rarity continued on, ignoring Rainbow Dash's attempt to console her. Considering emotional state right this second, Rainbow Dash let it slide.

"And now my little sister is gone, and who knows where she is!" Rarity shouted. "If Adagio was lying, she's with Chrysalis, and if she is, unlikely as it may be, telling the truth … well, she's still probably still with Chrysalis."

The door creaked open. Rainbow and Rarity glanced to the kitchen entrance. Sonata Dusk made her way inside, her shifty body language dripping with unease.

"Hi." Sonata Dusk waved at them.

"You're one of those sirens, aren't you?" Rainbow Dash got up from her seat and moved towards Sonata, fists bared and ready to give out a beating. Rarity held Dash back, grabbing her by the wrist.

"It's alright, darling." Rarity said. "We can … I'm not sure I'd say 'trust,' just yet, but there'll be no harm in listening to what she has to say." Rarity intertwined her fingers on the table. "She helped me escape."

"Hmph." Dash huffed. "The token good Siren, huh?"

Sonata smiled awkwardly and shrugged. "I … guess?"

"Say what you came to say, Sonata, was it?" Rarity said.

"I know who took Sweetie Belle." Sonata said.

"We _know_ who took Sweetie Belle." Rainbow Dash said. "Unless you have some actually helpful information, I suggest you get out."

"And I know what she's planning on doing with Sweetie Belle." Sonata Dusk said. "And where she's keeping her. And where she's planning to move her next."

Rarity pushed her chair out. She stood up.

"Where?"

* * *

In Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack came in from doing her chores. She slumped down at the dining room chair, having finished her labor and ready to unwind with some food and a drink. Apple Bloom, also at the table, had already gone through the trouble of making Applejack some fritter and pouring her a glass of orange juice.

Applejack looked down at the meal set out for her. "Did y'all make this for me, Apple Bloom?"

"I did." Apple Bloom said.

"Well, that's sweet of you." Applejack picked up the fritter and took a bite. She noticed Apple Bloom staring at her. "Ooh no. I recognize that face. That's the face you make when you want to talk about something that you know I don't want to talk about." Applejack sighed. "What is it, Apple Bloom?"

"What's happened to my friends?" Apple Bloom asked. "I can barely get ahold of them, and it seems like even when I do, I can only get them to hang out with me for a few minutes before they make up some excuse to leave! And why does Scootaloo seem like she's tryin' to avoid Sweetie Belle?"

"Hoo boy." Applejack adjusted her hat. "Now listen here, Apple Bloom. Your friends are going through a bad patch. It happens to the best of us. Heck, it even happens to me and Twilight."

"You mean like you and Rarity went through a 'bad patch'?" Apple Bloom asked, raising a skeptical brow. "A bad patch where you barely talked to each other for years?"

Applejack chuckled nervously. "Eh-heh, yeah … something like that. Look, anyway, the point is … sometimes your friends just need a break. These things take time. Scootaloo is needing a breather and some room to, uh, breath after everything that's happened, especially after what happened at Rarity's house."

"And what happened at Rarity's house?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Oh, I didn't tell y'all 'bout that? … no, of course I didn't." Applejack said. "I'll tell you more later. For now … I've been trying to avoid telling this cause I thought it might upset you, but … Sweetie Belle has been after Scootaloo. She's been pining after her, crushing hard on her."

"So that's why they've both been acting so weird." Apple Bloom said.

"'Fraid so." Applejack said. "But the thing about crushes is, sometimes, you get crushed. So far, Scootaloo hasn't accepted any of Sweetie Belle's advances, and I bet at this point, Sweetie Belle has figured Scootaloo ain't interested. She's probably off somewhere, trying to get over it."

Their table talk was interrupted by a knock on the front door.

"Come in." Applejack said.

The door opened and shut, and Twilight came into the dining room.

"Oh. Hey there, Twi."

"Hello, Applejack." Twilight said. "Have you finished your chores for the morning? And could I get you to come with me?"

"What fer?"

"Chrysalis almost managed to kidnap Rarity last night." Twilight said. "She, Dash and I are all of the opinion this has gone on long enough. We're trying to get a meeting together to plan and decide on how we're going to launch a counter-offensive."

"That sounds mighty interesting, Twilight, and right up my alley, but Apple Bloom and I were in the middle of a conversation." Applejack said. "You and the rest of the girls go on ahead without me. I'll catch up and meet with y'all later."

Twilight nodded. "Oh, and you should know Sweetie Belle's -" Twilight paused, looking at Apple Bloom. "Uh …"

"She's what, Twi?"

"She's missing." Apple Bloom said. "She's missing. That's it, isn't it? Probably kidnapped, I bet."

Twilight nodded. "I'm afraid so, yes."

"Well, that's just great." Apple Bloom complained. "On top of everything else that's been going on with them, one of my best friends gets kidnapped, and the worst part is, I know Applejack won't let me help because she'll be worried about my safety!"

"Glad we understand each other after all these years." Applejack said.

"I'm sorry, Apple Bloom. But don't worry. We're going to do everything we can to get Sweetie Belle back." Twilight assured her before leaving.

"Yeah, yeah …" Apple Bloom said. She slammed her forehead on the table in in defeat. "Ugh. I need a drink. I'm gonna go get a glass of water." Apple Bloom got up from her seat and left the room.

"Okay. You do that." Applejack said, her eyes tracking her sister as she left. Applejack lifted the orange juice to her mouth and sipped.

The front door opened again.

"Consarn it, Twi." Applejack said, slamming her cup down. "I told y'all, I was in the middle of talking with Apple Bloom."

"Hurk!" It wasn't Twilight Sparkle, but Aria Blaze, as Applejack discovered when a purple arm wrapped around her throat from behind. Aria put a hand over Applejack's mouth to keep her from screaming, and pressed her arm against Applejack's throat, choking her until she fell unconscious. The thrashing Applejack made caused her chair to scrape across the floor, but it wasn't enough to get Apple Bloom's attention. Applejack's eyes closed and she slumped against the chair.

Aria chuckled. "You should really get better security on that door. It is way too easy for someone to come in and rob the place, or even … kidnap someone." Aria admired her hands, appreciating a job well done.

Aria picked up Applejack up and lifted Applejack up, hoisting Applejack over her shoulders. Aria let out a grunting groan.

"Ooh, you're heavy, aren't you?" Aria asked as she carried Applejack towards the door. "Ever think about going on a diet? Of course, that's probably mostly muscle, isn't it?"

Aria continued out the door, uninterrupted and going unnoticed, Twilight being long gone.

Apple Bloom came back into the dining room and saw Applejack was absent. "Applejack? Aaaapplejack? Where'd she go? Maybe she went with Twilight after all …"

Apple Bloom went to the front of the house and ran up to the nearest window. She saw Aria Blaze carting Applejack off over her shoulders and dropped her glass, where it shattered on impact with the floor.

"APPLEJACK!"

* * *

Aria Blaze went out to the Everfree Forest, going deep inside and propping Applejack up against a tree. Aria reached behind her and pulled out a bottle of cider from her pocket, popping off the lid. She pressed the tip of the bottle to Applejack's lips and lifted it upwards, pouring the cider into Applejack's mouth.

Applejack coughed and sputtered, swallowing some of the cider while coughing equally as much onto the sides of her mouth. She woke up and opened her eyes, feeling tired and groggy. Her vision was blurry before it refocused, Aria coming into view.

"W-who are you?" Applejack asked. "Where am I?"

"I'm nobody." Aria Blaze said. "And where you are isn't important right now. But you know what is important, Applejack? Cider. And lots of it."

"Cider?" Applejack asked.

"I did a little studying up on you." Aria Blaze said. "You and your family make cider, and need to profit off it enough to keep your house financially afloat in the winter. Well, I did a few little calculations, and guess what! You won't have enough apples to make enough cider to make it through the winter!"

"Oh no!" Applejack's eyes widened with fear. "It can't be! It just can't! I won't let that happen."

"You won't." Aria said. "But you're gonna need a little help, and you have to be willing to do whatever it takes."

"Whatever it takes to keep my family safe …" Applejack murmured, her head tilting to one side.

"Good." Aria said. She presented Applejack with the cider. "Drink this. It'll help you make lots of cider. Lots and lots of cider … from your breasts." Aria smirked.

"Ooh!" Applejack groaned. "More lactatin'? Do I have to?"

"Yes! You need to be able to produce enough cider the makeup the difference in your harvest this year. Drink up." Aria smiled.

Applejack sighed. "Fine, I'll do it." Applejack swiped the bottle from Aria and chugged it down. She groaned and moaned as her breasts began to swell out, stretching out her vest. The vest quickly became soaked as cider leaked out of Applejack's chest. Aria Blaze set to work, untying the laces and taking Applejack's vest and shirt off her. Aria cupped Applejack's breasts and rubbed them, squeezing them together to get more cider out of them.

"Yes …" Aria hissed. "You need to make cider, Applejack. You need to lactate out lots and lots of cider from your breasts to keep your family safe …"

"Lactate … lots and lots of cider … keep my family safe." Applejack murmured, rolling her head back. She didn't notice Aria begin the process of catching her cider in bottles and capping them.

"Yes." Aria said, twisting a cap onto a bottle. "Lots and lots of cider, which we'll mix into your regular brew, and then we'll have all of Ponyville drink it all up … and then they'll be slaves to you and your cider product, and by extension, through you, slaves to _me._" Aria cracked a wicked grin, showing sharp teeth.

Applejack put her hands on her ballooning, swelling breasts, rubbing and squeeze to get more cider to pop out of her flesh. "Ooooh …"

"Yes, that's it …" Aria purred, capping another bottle and setting it aside with the others. "Just keep squeezing … keep producing. Because you need to produce lots of cider, don't you?"

"I do …" Applejack said.

"Heh." Aria chuckled. "I'll tell you, it wasn't easy, figuring out what Sunset Shimmer did to you. But the real trick was figuring out how she did it. Thankfully, I have my methods, and I found out how she used the Poison Joke combined with cider to make this … cider lactation potion." Aria watched with satisfaction as the cider from Applejack's breasts became frothy and fizzy, covering her chest in foamy bubbles. "Hmm."

"GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!"

"What?" Aria stood up and turned around. Her eyes widened when she saw Apple Bloom charging at her, stampeding like a rampaging oxen. Apple Bloom tackled Aria in the midsection and brought to the ground, where Apple Bloom started to lay a pounding on Aria, punching in the face repeatedly to pummel her.

"You - ugh!" Aria rolled over and was able to toss Apple Bloom off. "You shouldn't mess with things you don't understand, little girl. You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"I'm not a little girl! I'm a young adult!" Apple Bloom protested.

Aria chortled. "You're still a spry little _sproutling_ compared to me. You have no idea how old I really am."

Apple Bloom socked Aria in the cheek.

"Old enough to be _slow._" Apple Bloom retorted.

Aria rubbed at her struck cheek. She growled at Apple Bloom. "I told you not to mess with things you don't understand. Do you even understand what I'm doing to your sister?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Apple Bloom said, rearing up her fists for another round of slugging Aria's face.

"Let me you ask you a follow-up question … once I'm done beating you …" Aria shot her hand out and wrapped it around Apple Bloom's throat. Apple Bloom choked and gasped. Aria's fingers had the crushing grip of iron blacksmith tongs. "Do you understand what I'm going to do to you? No? Let me explain. First, I'm going to choke you into submission." Aria stood up, bringing Apple Bloom with her. "Then, I'm going to do the same thing to you I'm doing to your sister, and make you pour cider out of your breasts. I'm going to suckle them and drink from them, and then I'm going to throw you over a waterfall on a cliff where if the fall doesn't kill you, either some pointy rocks or drowning will."

"A-Applejaaack!" Apple Bloom wheezed out, reaching a hand towards her sister. "H-help!"

Applejack blinked, stirred by the sound of her sister's voice. "Ap … Apple Bloom?" In her disoriented state, Applejack had to squint to focus on Apple Bloom. Her eyes widened, and she felt a shot of adrenaline go through her when she realized her little baby sister was in danger. "Get your filthy hands off my little sister!" Unburdened by her leaking chest, Applejack got up and charged Aria, slamming her elbow into Aria's back. Aria gasped and released her grip on Apple Bloom by reflex.

Applejack didn't let up, striking Aria in the back of the head. Applejack grabbed Aria by the shoulders and lifted her up, throwing her into a nearby tree. Applejack marched up to Aria, who was trying to recover and push herself off the bark.

Applejack punched her again, then pinned her to the tree with one arm. She brandished a fist and began pummeling Aria in the face, punching her over and over, producing a grunt of pain with each blow. Aria reached over and squeezed Applejack's breast, causing a spurt of cider to come bursting out, distracting Applejack and giving Aria the chance to sucker-punch her and make her stumble.

"Applejack!" Apple Bloom exclaimed in worry. She growled, putting on her best 'tough face,' and lunged at Aria Blaze, kicking her in the stomach and knocking her back into the tree.

Aria growled back and lunged forward, grabbing Apple Bloom by the shirt. She lifted Apple Bloom up and headbutted her, smashing their foreheads together. Despite the fact this should have been equally debilitating to both of them, only Apple Bloom seemed to feel any pain.

"Aaaah!" Applejack did a football tackle and charged, slamming her shoulder into Aria's back and pinning her against a different tree.

"Apple Bloom, y'all stay out of this!" Applejack shouted as she worked to keep Aria pinned. "Let your big sister handle this!"

"What?" Apple Bloom was aghast. "No! I can help! Y'all still be sitting there rubbing your own chest if I hadn't come along!"

"Don't argue with me, little miss!"

"Darn it, Applejack, I'm not some scared little girl anymore!" Apple Bloom said. "I'm grown! I can handle myself! I can help!"

"No, y'all can't." Applejack insisted. "You did good, Apple Bloom, but now it's time for you get to safety and go home!"

Aria took advantage of Applejack being distracted with yelling at Apple Bloom and was able to slap Applejack with the back of her palm, making Applejack lose her focus enough for Aria to wriggle her way free and buck Applejack off. Aria turned and grabbed Applejack by the shoulders and threw her to the ground. Aria smiled deviously and advanced on her.

"Okay …" Aria said. "I'm ready to bring it down and _really_ start hurting you now. I am going to put you through so much pain … "

"No one does that to my big sis!" Apple Bloom declared. She yelled and jumped up in the air, twirling around and giving Aria a devastating, painful roundhouse kick right in her spinal column. Aria jerked and staggered forward.

Applejack was shocked and impressed, regarding Apple Bloom with an open jaw. She recomposed herself and smiled at Apple Bloom to assure Apple Bloom she understood, and they were going to do the rest of this as a team. Applejack got to her feet and gave Aria an uppercut, throwing her back.

Apple Bloom reared up her fist and slammed it into Aria's back, making her stagger forward, where Applejack hit her again. Aria suspected this was what it felt like to be a yoyo.

Apple Bloom and Applejack closed in on, closing the gap, and they both began pounding her, striking her with their fists, kicking her, kneeing her in the stomach and groin, never giving her a an chance to rest and catch her breath. Any opening Aria might have had to counterattack one sibling, was quickly taken care by the other sibling hitting her again, throwing her counter off course.

Aria fell to her knees. She crawled away from them as fast as she could.

"Aww, don't leave just yet." Applejack cooed mockingly. "We haven't finished giving you enough bruises and shiners yet!" Applejack raised up her fist.

Aria reached forward and picked up one of the cider bottles. She got to her feet, shaking and stumbling, her knee giving out on her and almost making her fall back down. Apple Bloom and Applejack approached her.

Aria uncapped the cider bottle. She reared the bottle back and raised it up, splashing Apple Bloom's eyes with the fizzy drink.

"Aaah!" Apple Bloom groaned and turned away.

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack exclaimed. "Why you no-good, lowdown … I'm gonna …" Applejack was interrupted from whatever threat she was going to make by Aria Blaze shattering the bottle against the side of her head. The pain of the blow and the resulting stinging headache was enough of a distraction to let Aria flee into the Everfree Forest.

"Ugh …" Applejack groaned, rubbing the side of her head. She noticed Apple Bloom staggering and went over to pick up her shirt off the ground, going up to her sister and using the shirt as towel to dry the cider out of Apple Bloom's eyes. "Y'all okay?"

"Yeah …" Apple Bloom said. "Think I will be, after I get some water to rinse my eyes. You?"

"I'll be fine …" Applejack said. "Gonna need a little help from Rarity and Zecora to flush and drain my chest out, but I'll be fine."

"Speaking of which …" Apple Bloom blushed and turned away. Only after the heat of combat had ended did she realized she could see her sister's bare breasts. "Would y'all mind putting something on, sis?"

"I know, I know …" Applejack said, picking up her vest and wrapping it around her, tying it back. The vest barely fit on with her swelled-up breasts pushing it up and out, exposing her midriff, but it covered the parts Applejack needed to cover. "Come on. Let's go find the girls and tell them about this …"

* * *

Applejack reentered Ponyville proper, and she made a straight course for Twilight's library, opening the door without even stopping to knock. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were all there.

"Hey, Applejack." Twilight said. "Glad you could join us."

"Yeah … I am, too." Applejack said. "Where's Rarity and Rainbow Dash?"

Twilight shrugged. "We don't know. But this was their idea …"

"Never mind that for the moment." Applejack waved her head. "There's something y'all should. I just got nearly nabbed by one those of siren girls Rarity's been complaining about."

"They nabbed you?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"In broad daylight?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah …" Applejack rested her elbow on the door frame. "They nearly got me, too. I tell ya, I would have been their cider fountain if it weren't for Apple Bloom …"

"They're getting bolder …" Twilight said. "Alright, that does it. This may have been Rarity's idea to begin with, but we're having this meeting and coming up with a plan, Rarity or no Rarity. This has definitely gone on long enough. Come in, Applejack. Sit down."

"I do believe I will, thank you." Applejack said, coming inside and sitting on a stool. "I could use a seat after what just happened …"

No one wanted to comment on the obvious.

"What? Oh." Applejack looked down at her chest, which was still ridiculously huge for a normal woman, but had been shrinking since she made her way to Ponyville. "Never mind that. We'll go the bathroom and take care of it after we come up with our plan. So … what's the plan?"

* * *

"Well, that didn't work out." Aria muttered to herself, returning to Chrysalis' base camp. "I'd say it's about time for a different approach …" Aria noticed Honeycomb lounging on a boulder. "And there it is." Aria said to herself with a smile.

Confidently, she strolled up to Honeycomb. "Hey, Honeycomb, what'cha doing?"

"I am, mmm, currently resting on this rock until Chrysalis has, mmm, need of my services." Honeycomb answered.

"Chrysalis? Please." Aria crossed her arms and laid against a rock. "Do you honestly want to be spending the rest of your time taking orders from that bore? Nah." Aria pointed a thumb at herself. "You should team with me. Stick with me. I'll show you a real good time."

Honeycomb bent her head down, regarding Aria. Aria found it creepy to see her reflection in Honeycomb's faceted compound eyes, but she kept to her course.

"You would not be, mmm, the first to convince me to join with you instead of Chrysalis. Yet … that did not work for me last time. Sunset Shimmer ultimately proved, mmm … disappointing. Why should I sign up with you instead, when, mmm, Chrysalis is still a viable option?"

"Because I'm not some lame-o like Sunset." Aria Blaze. "And I'm not a stuck-up like Chrysalis who can't see beyond her own personal glory. Nah. Me? I want to have fun, and I want to dominate others while doing it. Whaddya say? Stick with me, girl, and it could be you and me against the world." Aria offered Honeycomb her hand.

Honeycomb cupped her chin, considering it. She smiled.

"You make an, mmm, compelling case. Bees are a usually a hivemind. It might be, mmm, nice to try something different and be an, mmm, rebel for a change …"

Honeycomb took Aria's hand and shook it.

"Great." Aria said. "Now, I need you to do something for me, Honeycomb …"

Honeycomb raised an eyebrow.

"Do the process to me you did to Sunset Shimmer." Aria said. "Make me into a bee-woman."

* * *

Chrysalis sat on the rocks, continuing to stroke Adagio's hair. Sweetie Belle remained in her trance state, and Trixie thumbed through a paper booklet, going over the magic tricks she would perform once Chrysalis had taken over Equestria and she had a captive audience to perform for.

"I'm going to need so much grander tricks to entertain the audience after we take over …" Trixie murmured, flipping a page.

"Yes." Chrysalis said. "It will be important for you to entertain the audience fabulously, Trixie … you will need to be the circus in 'bread and circuses.'"

"Oh, you don't need her for that, Chrysalis." Adagio said. "You have me. Everyone will be entranced by my singing."

Trixie glared, not appreciating Adagio's put-down.

"Oh, Adagio.' Chrysalis said. "You'll be the bread."

Adagio raised an eyebrow. "Is that an innuendo for something?" She smiled. "Because I think I like it. This is going to involve milk, I assume?"

"Mm-hmm."

Chrysalis looked upwards. She gently lifted Adagio's head off her lap and laid Adagio down on the rock. She jumped off.

"Trixie." Chrysalis said.

Trixie snapped her booklet shut and stood at attention, saluting. "Yes ma'am?"

"Having Sweetie Belle gives us an advantage, true … but I want more advantages. I want to stack the deck in our favor." Chrysalis said. "To that end, I want to be able track Twilight's movements and predict where she and her friends are going to go. I want a spy."

"Couldn't you just have one of your Changelings do it?" Trixie asked.

Chrysalis shook her head. "My Changelings are excellent imitators, but when it comes to their acting, I'm afraid their skills are lacking. I want someone who knows how to act natural in a crowd. I want you to do it, Trixie. Go up to them. Tell them you want to reform. Work to gain their trust, and then tell me everything they do."

"What?" Trixie balked. "Chrysalis, they've already seen me working with you! They'll never believe me or accept me. And didn't we try something like this already?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Chrysalis. "I guess you don't want that audience to worship you after I've taken over Equestria and given you your own little slice of the pie after all, do you? I'm afraid I must _insist_, Trixie."

"But …"

Chrysalis leaned towards Trixie and growled.

"_Do as I say._"

Trixie gulped. She nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good." Chrysalis said. "Now, if it will make you feel better … I will make one slight adjustment to the plan. Loathe I am to admit, you are probably right in that this won't work, thus … " Chrysalis' hand glowed. "Instead of you coming to them crying about feeling sorry, I'll turn you into someone else."

Chrysalis thrust her hand out in a dramatic gesture and struck Trixie with a ball of magic. In a burst of light, Trixie was transformed into a perfect duplicate of Fleur-de-lis.

"We're going to pack up and move." Chrysalis said. "One can't be too careful, and one mustn't stay in one place for too long when you're trying to secretly subvert and ultimately overthrow the regional government. We will extract you to meet once we've found a new camp, and you've made it into the good graces of Twilight's friends."

Chrysalis pointed a finger in the direction of Ponyville. "Now go."

Trixie saluted and marched off.

* * *

Trixie, in her Fleur disguise, arrived at Ponyville. Finding a building with some bushes growing in front of it, she snuck by and hid herself inside the grass. She scanned around, watching the unpaved dirt road for any persons of interest who might have been passing in the stragglers of the crowd, most of whom were attending their own business.

Trixie's eyes swept over the crowd twice, trying to spot someone for her to spy on. She pursed her lips when a shadow fell over her, blocking the sun. She looked up to see Rarity looking down at her with a smile.

"Oh, uh, hello, Rarity." Trixie said, worrying her Fleur disguise wouldn't be enough to fool her. At least Chrysalis had changed her voice.

"Hello, Fleur." Rarity said sweetly. "If I may ask, what are you doing in those bushes?"

"Oh, you know me." 'Fleur' said. She placed a hand on the bushes. "I just looove bushes and foliage and flowers, heh heh heh."

"Oh, I see. I didn't know you a plant lover, Fleur." Rarity said. "There's one other thing, too. One … small thing that's been bothering that I've been meaning to talk to you about for some time."

"Shoot." Fleur said.

"I was out with Rainbow Dash and … an acquaintance earlier today. We tried to find Sweetie Belle. I don't know if you know that she's _missing._ We couldn't find her where this acquaintance said she was, and apparently the … 'performing troupe' carrying her moved ahead of schedule. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"I'm afraid not." Trixie said.

"So we went back to my house to think about what to do next." Rarity said. "We went back out to search for her again, and that's when I saw you go into the bushes. And it's the funniest thing, really … while we're at my house, I received a letter from Fancypants telling me you appreciated our meeting and were having a good time with him. So how on Equestria did you slip from here and get all the way here from Canterlot in that time? How are you in two places at once?"

"Umm …" Trixie stammered.

Rarity gave a smile which betrayed killing intent.

"Don't bother." Rarity said. "You know why the 'troupe' moved, don't you? And you already know Sweetie Belle was missing. Because Fleur doesn't know that yet, and she would have been concerned."

Trixie's eyes widened as she realized she'd been found out.

Rarity held out her palm and fired a massive burst of blue magic in the form of a blast, throwing Trixie against the building, the force and power of the spell dispelling Trixie's illusionary disguise.

"Hello, you small-minded, would-be spy." Rarity said, walking up to Trixie as she fell, Rarity's hands glowing with magic. "Tell me something; are there no depths you won't sink to? Torture, theft, even kidnapping, even setting Equestria on fire and allowing it to the burn to the ground, are worth it in your mind if it gets you the recognition you think you deserve? Well, let me tell you something, you shrew. You might not have any qualms about it, but I draw a line at you kidnapping my sister. Targeting family is the act of _cowards_ too afraid or feeble to attack their enemies directly."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is _not_ a -"

Trixie was shocked, both physically and mentally, when Rarity kicked her in the chin.

"Save it." Rarity said. "You're a coward, plain and simple. A spineless, sniveling coward content to take orders from people more powerful than you, if you think it will get you what you want. It won't, Trixie. If Chrysalis succeeds - and I assure you she won't - and you get the audience, the 'recognition' you so desire … it will be false. They won't cheer for you and applaud and clap because they like your half-baked showmanship. They'll cheer for because the alternative would be to admit that they have a problem with the current reigning tyrant and her choice in entertainment, and they don't want to be seen as a 'problem' and sent to a dungeon. Now …"

Rarity raised her hands up.

"Tell me where you've taken my little sister."

* * *

Out on the side of the road, Diamond Tiara sat, scrunched up, her arms wrapped around her folded up legs.

Suri arrived, carrying ice cream cones in both hands, wearing a big, but uneasy smile. She handed Diamond Tiara one of the cones.

Diamond took it gruffly, wrapping her hand around it so hard the cone began to crack, the ice cream squeezing out and getting onto her fingers. Suri took the seat next to her.

Diamond glared at the scoop. She glared at Suri. "Do you really think you can buy me back with just some ice cream?"

Suri's smiled faded, and she put a finger to her forehead.

"No."

"Huh?"

"No, Diamond Tiara, I do not think I can 'buy you back' with some ice cream." Suri said. "But I hope that this can be a start to giving you the reparations you deserve for me being gone all those years. I hope this can be a step down a path where I can be allowed to work for your forgiveness. I know … deep down … no matter what I do … you'll never be able to forgive me completely … but all I can do is try, and try to get you to forgive me a little. Being gone all those years, you … you're owed a lot from me, I know. And I'm not sure I'll even be able to pay off all that debt."

Suri looked away.

"But I'm trying. The least you can do is let me try. I've … I've made a few mistakes over the course of my lifetime, I won't deny. But recently, I had someone talk to me and they made me realize something, that I needed to change. My business is in shambles, I don't know how to run things myself, and your father … "

Suri paused.

"His speech also made me realize a few things. And even though I'll never admit to anyone else your father is the only person I can turn to for shelter. And he won't have me as long as you continue to resent me. So if bending over backwards and spending the rest of my life, trying to earn your forgiveness and paying off an unpayable debt is what it takes to make sure I have a roof over my head … then darn it, that's what I'm going to do."

Diamond Tiara huffed.

"I'm trying, Diamond." Suri said. "I really am. And on some level, you have to be willing to let me try. Otherwise you wouldn't have agreed to come to lunch, and you wouldn't have taken the ice cream. You could have left after lunch, and you didn't."

Diamond Tiara was silent.

"Of course, if you hadn't taken it, I would have just forced it into your hand." Suri said, resting her head back. "Now eat up."

Diamond pursed her lips. She had to admit Suri … her mother had a point. She stuck out her tongue and took a lick of the ice cream, regretting the fact she cracked.

Suri licked her ice cream and glanced off to the side. She noticed something.

"Now that's interesting …" Suri muttered. Rarity was in the distance, standing by the garden row of a building and leaning over a silver-haired woman Suri had never seen before. Suri made a face of shock when Rarity took her arm and charged, slamming the woman against the side of the building.

Rarity held out her palm, glowing blue with magic. She fired a relentless barrage of magic fireballs at the woman, pelleting her. Rarity clenched her fingers and grabbed the woman with her magic, lifting her up in the air before slamming her on the ground. The resulting thud could be felt all the way to to Suri and Diamond's bench.

"What was that?" Diamond asked, puzzled by the odd vibration in the bench.

"Diamond …" Suri said, getting up. "Stay here." She pointed a commanding finger at Diamond Tiara.

Diamond regarded Suri with surprise, wondering what was so upsetting to Suri she insisted on Diamond staying put, in addition to being surprised at the fact Suri could find it in her throat to work up an actual, scolding tone worthy of a mother.

Rarity grabbed Trixie by the throat, wrapping her fingers around Trixie's neck.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is my sister?" Rarity growled.

"I don't know!" Trixie cried, tears slipping through her closed eyelids, one of eyes black from Rarity's beating. "I swear to you, I promise, Rarity, I don't know!"

"And we all know how good your word is." Rarity said, engulfing her free palm in blue magic again to threaten Trixie.

"I don't!" Trixie insisted. "Chrysalis disguised me as Fleur and sent me here to spy on you and your friends, and then she started packing up and moving her camp! She said she'd come retrieve me later after I had finished making my way in and ingratiating myself! I don't know where she took your sister, I swear! P-please ..." Trixie begged, her voice raspy and hoarse, tears continuing to fall down. "No more … I don't know where she is …"

Rarity paused. She was terrifyingly silent for a moment, during which Trixie thought she might be intended to beat her up some more.

"As crazy as it sounds … I almost feel pity for you, and I think … I actually believe you." Rarity said, letting go for Trixie's throat, where Trixie fell back and hit her head on the building, clutching at her sore neck.

Before Trixie could get too cozy to recover, her eyes were focused on Rarity's burning blue finger pointing at her nose.

"But make no mistake." Rarity said. "This will be your last warning. If I see you around here again, acting in the name of Chrysalis' will, if I see you engaging with her, or have reason to suspect you're doing her bidding … or doing anything that might be related to helping her … then next time, I won't let up. Understand?"

Trixie nodded, her eyes still wet.

"Hmph." Rarity huffed and turned her nose up, closing her eyes as she walked away.

"Eeesh …" Suri murmured to herself, cautiously walking up to the silver-haired woman. Suri considered herself lucky she had never angered Rarity enough for an all out physical confrontation. She had no idea Rarity could be so vicious a fighter.

Suri stepped in front of her.

Trixie sniffed and cried, feeling abandoned, broken, humiliated, and maybe a little mutilated. She sniffed and wiped away a tear before acknowledging Suri. "What do you want? To beat me up some more?"

"No, I -" Suri began before someone else made their presence, stepping out of the shadows and crunching the grass.

"Oh." Sunset said. "Hello. I didn't see you there."

"Hi." Suri said. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed Rarity after I saw her nearly kill Adagio- oh … you probably don't know who that is. Anyway, after witnessing her lack of self-restraint, I figured it would be a good idea to tail her and make sure she didn't something stupid she would regret later." Sunset looked down at Trixie. "And it looks like my hunch was right."

"Right." Suri said. She looked at Trixie. "We should get this woman to a hospital." Suri bent down, meaning to reach over and help Trixie up, but Sunset stopped her, putting an arm to her stomach.

"Wait." Sunset said. "I recognize this woman. She was working with Chrysalis."

"With … who?" Suri asked. "I'm beginning to feel a bit like a third wheel here …"

"Chrysalis?" Sunset asked. "Big, scary Changeling demon Queen? Summoned the Citrus Slime, Honeycomb, and the Sirens from her little book?"

"I'm not familiar." Suri turned to Trixie. "What should we do with her?"

"Well …" Sunset said. "She probably has valuable information, so we should take her prisoner and interrogate her … but she's hurt pretty bad, and it would be immoral of us not to do anything for her."

"So … we should take her to get medical treatment, and then take her hostage?" Suri asked.

"I like the way you think." Sunset Shimmer said. She offered her hand to Suri. "Um, I'm sorry, I don't think I got your name?"

"Suri." Suri shook hands with Sunset. "Suri Polomare."

"Sunset Shimmer."

"And I'm Trixie Lulamoon." Trixie said before curling into a ball and turning her head away. "You know … if either of you care …"

* * *

At the library, Twilight drew on a chalkboard to visualize and map out their strategy, using what they knew for certain.

Their primary enemy was Chrysalis. Their objective was to rescue Sweetie Belle, and ideally, defeat her in the process. Chrysalis had Changeling minions working for her, as well as Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze, not to mention the Citrus Slime. Honeycomb was drawn off over on the other side of the board, with question marks underneath her. She was a wild card. There was no telling where she would be or what she would be doing or whose orders she was following, if anyone's, at the time they attacked.

"Let's see …" Twilight drew a figure of herself and drew a line between herself and Chrysalis to represent magic. "I'll handle Chrysalis … the biggest problem I can see is that Citrus Slime … we need to be able to freeze it."

"I thought Rarity said when Fleur attacked her and Cadence, it was immune to freezing?" Fluttershy said.

"Shoot, you're right." Twilight deflated and hung her arms. "Didn't they say they electrocuted her instead? We'll have Rainbow Dash … "

Awkward silence ensued. Scanning around the room, neither Rainbow Dash nor Rarity had arrived.

Twilight grunted, frustrated. It was Rarity's sister on the line, and it was their idea to have this meeting. Was it too much to expect for them to show up themselves?

"Okay." Twilight said. "Fluttershy, you're the one with weather magic. Think you find a cloud and bring down the lightning?"

"Oh, I don't know, Twilight." Fluttershy said. "Thunderclouds can be very dangerous if you don't handle them correctly, and besides … lightning scares me." Fluttershy tapped her fingers together.

Twilight was about to shoot back that she had seen Fluttershy handle other, far more nerve-wracking situations, but the door opened with the event of the hour; Rainbow Dash and Rarity finally arrived. They both looked tired and worn, and Rarity seemed a bit beat-up, her hair an unbrushed mess, dirt covering her face, and she seemed uncharacteristically undisturbed the stains in her dress.

"Hello, everyone." Rarity waved her fingers. "I apologize for being so tardy. Rainbow Dash and I were busy pursuing a potential lead. Do forgive us." Rarity and Dash made their way inside and took a sight.

"Alright." Twilight said. "I'm still mad you're so late, but I guess I can let it slide."

"Um …"

Everyone's attention was drawn to Sonata Dusk, standing in the doorway.

"Do … do I come in now, or …?" Sonata asked, pointing at nothing in particular, her question directed at Rarity.

"Come on in, darling." Rarity said. Sonata walked inside. "Everyone, I know you some of have already met her, but this is Sonata Dusk. She's been helping me and Rainbow Dash in any way she can. She used to be working for Chrysalis, but she's changed her mind and is helping us. That's why we were so late … we thought she could lead us to Sweetie Belle."

"And why didn't she?" Twilight asked, crossing her arms and getting suspicious.

"Chrysalis knows she needs to keep on the move to keep from being discovered." Sonata said. "So she hides Sweetie Belle with her, and makes sure to rotate her base around every so often. She must have changed her schedule, because when I took Rarity and Dash to where I knew she was last, she wasn't there. She had told me and my fellow sirens where she was moving next, but she was either lying or had a change of plans, because she wasn't there either."

"That's a bite bit convenient." Applejack said. "Chrysalis not being in either of two locations you said she was gonna be."

"What I'm telling you is the honest truth, I swear." Sonata said, bringing a hand over her chest.

"We can trust her, Twilight." Rarity said. "She helped me escape, even though she didn't have to."

"How do we know that wasn't just a ploy to earn your trust?" Applejack asked.

"Applejack, stop, you're being paranoid." Rarity said. She rested her head on her hand. "Though I suppose it's a genuine concern, given some of the dirty stunts Chrysalis' team has pulled … Sonata?"

"I'm a Siren." Sonata said. "I'm designed to feed on love. For the longest time, none of us knew what … real love was like. But then I met Spike, and that changed. I know what it's like to have real love, a real … lasting relationship. I'm not content to just keeping sucking up emotions like they're cheap drinks you buy at bar. I want this to last. I want to be with Spike."

"Please." Sonata said. "Let me help you. Give me the chance to earn your trust. I promise, I won't let you down."

Twilight regarded Sonata suspiciously, though it was hard to say whether it was because she still didn't trust her, or her mothering instincts were kicking in and she disapproved of Spike being with anyone.

"Okay." Twilight said. "What information can you tell us, Sonata?"

"The first thing you should know." Sonata raised a finger. "You don't need to worry about Sweetie Belle being hurt. Chrysalis never told us what her plan for was … but whatever it is, it requires Sweetie Belle being safe and uninjured."

Twilight nodded. "Okay … okay … that's good news, I guess. Well, no, actually, it's kind of terrifying, because I'd hate to imagine what that plan is. Anything else?"

"A few things …"

* * *

"Ugh …" Twilight groaned, rubbing at her eyes. Her hair was getting frazzled, and bags were forming under her eyes. "It's been hours, and despite the information Sonata's told us, we still haven't come up with a good plan!" Twilight smacked the chalkboard in frustration, causing it to spin wildly.

Twilight heaved a sigh. "Maybe we should take a break. Call it in for the night and go to bed …"

"Go to bed?" Rarity asked. She looked towards the window. "It's not even dark outside."

"It's not?" Twilight muttered, raising her head up. "Huh. So it's not. Well … maybe we should go out for food, or something."

"Every minute we spend in here planning, breaking, and resting is another my sister is in that monster's clutches." Rarity growled.

"Rarity …" Rainbow put a hand on Rarity's shoulder. " Trust me, I want to get Sweetie Belle back almost as much as you do. We all do. But we can't come up with a good plan if we're all tired and on empty stomachs."

Rarity inhaled, understanding Rainbow Dash's point, yet still wanting to disagree with Dash. She wanted to insist they carry on, and they all march through their grueling task until they saw it to completion. But she knew insisting they carry on would backfire, and leave them all tired, cranky, and angry at her.

Not the kind of state one wants their team to be in when they're trying to stage a rescue mission.

"Fine." Rarity said. "I guess we could go out to eat … but I want us all to meet back here when we're done."

"Actually …" Applejack rested her hand on her knee before getting up. "That makes me think. There's been a lot of successful nabbin' attempts lately. We should stick together for safety. Maybe even … you know, have a sleepover at Twilight's." Applejack looked around. "Between the orchard, it, and the Boutique, I'd say it's the best at inconveniencing any kidnapping attempts."

"That's a good idea, Applejack." Twilight said. "New rule; until we have this crisis settled, nobody goes out by themselves."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Rarity stood up next. "Rainbow Dash and I will grab a few things from our house, and then we'll meet up at the restaurant, if that's acceptable."

"Acceptable." Twilight said.

"I'll go get Apple Bloom and Scootaloo … criminy, I should have done that in the first place. Pinkie Pie, you're with me."

"Okie-dokie!" Pinkie Pie joined Applejack in leaving. Rarity and Rainbow Dash left after them.

"Don't you two have anything you need?" Twilight asked.

"I should probably make sure my animals have enough food for me to stay the night." Fluttershy said. "And let Discord know what's going on."

"I … don't really have a proper home at the moment." Sonata said. "I'll come with you, Fluttershy."

"Oh, um, okay …" Fluttershy said. "I'm … not sure my animals will trust a stranger, especially a siren … they're very good at that … but Rarity trusts you, and that's good enough for me."

The two of them left.

Rarity and Dash returned to their home.

"I'll pack." Rarity said.

"I'll help."

"We won't need much. Just a few essentials. You can take a moment to relax." Rarity said before going into the back without giving Rainbow Dash the chance to argue.

"Yeah …" Dash said. "Okay … I probably need a boost anyway ..."

Rainbow Dash went into the kitchen. She opened the fridge door and pulled a bottle of white poison. She sat down at the counter, twisted the lid off, and took a sip.

The front entrance clicked open. Dash slammed her bottle on the counter, flaring her wings up, ready for a fight, recalling how many opening doors had been preludes to kidnapping in recent hours.

_Actually, why wasn't that door locked?_

Shining Armor and Harshwhinny made their way into the kitchen, answering Dash's question. She wouldn't put it past them to have picked the lock. They walked up to the counter and took seats.

"Oh no." Rainbow Dash rubbed her temple up and down. "Not you two. We don't … we don't have time for this right now. Sweetie Belle's been kidnapped by Chrysalis."

"Hey, I didn't even want to be here! But I figured it would best if I did for, uh, legal reason and to keep things from getting … out of hand." Shining Armor said.

Things are definitely going to get out of hand. Dash thought.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know … about Sweetie Belle … why didn't you tell me? I'll go get Cadence. She can help." Shining Armor got up.

"Stay." Harshwhinny said as Shining Armor said. "While this kidnapping is … unfortunate, it does not change the business we came here to conduct."

"Unfortunate?" Dash asked. "Someone's little sister is missing, and all you have to say is 'unfortunate'?"

"So!" Shining Armor interrupted, sensing the conversation was about to get tense and hostile. "Rainbow Dash, what's going on with you? Aside from the whole kidnapping thing, I mean. What are your life plans now?"

"What do you mean?" Dash asked, happy to oblige Shining Armor and change the course of the conversation.

"Well, I … I heard you were got engaged to Rarity recently." Shining Armor said. "You've been missing out on a few mortgage payments … what are you gonna do with your old cloud house?"

"Don't know." Rainbow took a sip from her bottle. "Was thinking of giving to Scootaloo … she's a big girl now, she can look after it … "

"Uh-huh." Shining nodded. "Uh … pardon me for asking, but I can't help but notice you seem to be drinking, um, milk. Do you mind I ask what - what's up with that? Is that still the healthiest thing for you? Isn't it a drug?"

"Maybe it's not the healthiest thing." Dash admitted. She rocked the bottle in her hand, looking down the opening into the fluid. "But I'm getting better. I've been weaning, pun not intended, myself off it … but I'm still allowed a little indulgence every once in awhile, right?" Dash grinned. She sighed and looked into the bottle again. "This bottle is a bottle of contradictions. It's my rock. My drug. It drives me crazy … and it keeps me sane. It make sure I always come back ..." Rainbow Dash glanced towards the back of the house. "To her."

"You don't have to stay here." Shining Armor said. "You're not her property."

Dash pointed her pinkie from her bottle. "I got a dog collar around here that says otherwise."

"A dog collar?" Shining Armor sputtered. "You … you can't be serious. She doesn't get to keep you, Rainbow Dash. You're not a dog."

"I want her to keep me." Dash said. "I like her. I love her."

"Yeah, but …"

"Let me see if I can find it …" Dash began opening drawers and rummaging through them. "Ah, here it is." She pulled a purple dog collar with her name and instructions to 'return to Rarity if found' on the tag. Disregarding Shining's words, Dash unpopped the collar and wrapped it around her neck, clicking it back together. "What do you say to that?"

Shining Armor stammered. Rainbow Dash, cool as an icebox, sipped her milk.

Harshwhinny cleared her throat. "Enough of this."

Harshwhinny pulled out a piece of paper. "What I have is a court order. I expect you and Miss Belle to be there on time."

Dash took the paper. "Hearing …? A court date?" Rainbow Dash threw the paper down on the counter. "What is this?"

Harshwhinny was bothered by Dash's rough treatment of the legal papers. "It is a order and date competency hearing. We're going to be holding a competency hearing to test Rarity Belle and determine if she is, in fact, still sane and not a danger to herself, and others, and is mentally and emotionally fit to take care of herself and her family." Harshwhinny turned away and pulled out a hand mirror. "The fact her sister has been kidnapped on her watch will not reflect well on her."

Dash was stunned. "Wow." Dash said. "Harshwhinny, I knew you were a stick in the mud with an ax to grind … but I didn't realize you were total _filth_. Rarity's sister is missing. My future sister-in-law is missing and held hostage by an evil, powerful queen … but all you care is dragging us to court? Wow. I mean, just wow. Talk about your priorities."

Shining Armor began to shrink away from the table. "Like I said, Rainbow Dash, I don't want to be here … not after what happened … what Twiley said …"

"Regardless of any extenuating circumstances, however unfortunate, I expect you and Miss Belle to be there on time for the court, present and appropriately dressed." Harshwhinny said. "You should be leaving your sister-in-law's recovery up to law enforcement anyways."

"Uh-huh." Dash got up, pressing her fists on the table. "No, you listen to me. Here's what's gonna happen … "

Rainbow Dash flew over to the windows and closed the blinds, submerging the room in darkness. Using her exceptional speed, she flew over to the counter and slammed Harshwhinny's and Shining Armor's heads on the table, pinning their necks with her palms.

"You're gonna take that court order and shove it." Dash growled. "Burn it. Trash it. Stuff it in your mouth and eat if for all I care."

Dash bent down and talked right into Harswhinny's ear.

"Rarity and I are sick of you coming after us because you have bone to pick, and apparently nothing else better to do, despite your high-ranking positions." Rainbow Dash said. "I have had to put up with _enough_ of your _horse apples_. Shining Armor, how good are you with teleportation spells?"

"Oh, gee … teleporting has always been more of Twiley's thing …" Shining answered.

"Good." Dash said. "So you'll understand the risk when I say … if either of you pull any stunts like this again, I'm gonna fly you both somewhere very far away, drop you from a great big height to break your legs, and then, I'm gonna take you both for a long walk off a short pier. Understand?"

Shining Armor nodded. "Yeah, no, I understand."

"Harshwhinny?"

" … fine." Harshwhinny grunted out.

"Good." Rainbow Dash said. She walked over to the other side of the counter and picked the court order up. She ripped it in half, tearing it straight down the middle. Harshwhinny's jaw dropped in shock. Dash let the paper halves float to the ground. "Now get out of here."

"We're leaving." Shining Armor said.

"But ..." Harshwhinny, though shaken, tried to protest. "She just destroyed legal documents …"

"We're leaving!" Shining Armor grabbed Harshwhinny by the back of her shirt and pulled along, making a hasty escape towards the exit. "Don't worry, Rainbow Dash, I'll come back with Cadence as soon as I can! We'll make sure nothing happens to Sweetie Belle!"

"Yeah … yeah, sure. Make sure you lock the door on your way out." Rainbow Dash said.

"Got it!" Shining Armor saluted. He locked the door before leaving.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity came running into the room, holding the door frame and panting. "I heard thumping and I came as fast as I could. Are you alright? Why is it so dark in here?" Rarity turned the light on. "Oh, I see. The blinds are closed."

"I'm fine." Rainbow Dash said, going up to open the blinds, before deciding it would be better not to, given Chrysalis might be spying.

"What happened?" Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash turned towards Rarity. She looked away from her.

"Nothing." Rainbow Dash said. "Nothing happened. I just … tripped, that's all."

"Oh." Rarity exhaled sharply, resting on the door frame. "Oh, that's a relief. For a moment there, I was worried something might have happened … anyways, I think I've got everything packed that we need. We'll drop it off at Twilight's and then … let's go eat."

"Let's."

* * *

Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, Sonata, and of course, the lovely couple, after dropping some things off at Twilight's library, went out to one of their old favorite restaurants to eat. They were a bit dismayed to learn they only had outdoor tables open for them, as that made them more vulnerable, but they decided to live with it.

They were seated, with Rainbow Dash being a gentleman and pulling out Rarity's seat for her, to Rarity's delight. They were given menus and left to decide what they wanted.

"Hmm … what do I want?" Rarity wondered. "It feels like it's been forever since I last had nice warm meal …"

Rarity froze up. She put her menu down. She heard a gurgling. A familiar gurgling noise. "Does anyone else hear that?"

"Hear what?" Twilight asked.

"That gurgling." Rarity said. She rested her hands on the side of her head. "That awful, awful gurgling …"

"Sure you're not imagining it?" Sonata Dusk asked.

"No. I hear it, too." Rainbow Dash said. The explanation of Dash and Rarity being able to hear it because they had a stronger connection and longer history with the slime seemed too logical to not make sense.

Patrons began screaming, fleeing their seats and exiting the restaurant.

Orange tendrils rose over the outdoor fence, sliding and slithering up the side of the fence. The Citrus Slime climbed up, pulling itself up and throwing itself over the fence. Chrysalis stood atop the mound of gel, poised like a great commander of olden warfare perched on a horse-drawn chariot.

"Chrysalis!" Twilight exclaimed. Sonata Dusk ducked under the table, fearful of what Chrysalis might to do her if she received visual confirmation of her betrayal and turning turncoat.

"Alright, you." Chrysalis asked, willing the Citrus Slime to raise up its tendrils. "What have you done with Trixie? Where have you taken her?"

"What?" Twilight said. "What is she talking about?"

"We don't know anything about where Trixie is." Applejack said.

The Slime, at Chrysalis' command, brought its tendril down on the table they were sitting at, knocking it over, The girls all hit the floor, avoiding the blow and debris which fell off the table.

"Don't play games with me!" Chrysalis said. "I know you must have done something with her! I sent her into Ponyville to spy on you, and I haven't heard back from her since!"

"Games?" Rarity chuckled. "Oh, Chrysalis, you're such a hypocrite."

"Takes one to know one."

"Granted, but please." Rarity waved her hand. "You don't really expect us to believe you actually care about Trixie, do you? She's just another disposable pawn to you. Just like everyone else you manipulate or ever had under your control."

"Trixie has been an invaluable asset to my plans." Chrysalis said. "After all, it was she who brought the book. She helped get close to Twilight Sparkle, back when that was the only plan that needed to work, and it didn't. Tell me where she is!" Chrysalis had the Slime raise its tendril up menacingly.

"Alright, alright, fine." Rarity said. "I found Trixie in the see-through transparent disguise you put in her by a building down near the east of town. I spoke my peace and … gave her a little bit of a well-deserved thrashing, and I left her there with a warning. I don't know she might be or where she could have gone after that."

Chrysalis bared her teeth, growling. "You must by lying. Liar! If you didn't take her, who did?"

"I don't know." Rarity said. "But if you're going to keep being a hypocrite, projecting on me and accusing me of all the things you're guilty of, I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist you leave at once."

Chrysalis chuckled. "My, my, my, someone's feeling confident. Have you looked around? Do you realize it is I who controls this beast beneath my feet? You are in no position to make threats."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Chrysalis." Rarity said. "I am in the perfect position to make threats. You're underestimating me."

Rarity walked forward towards the Citrus Slime.

"I don't know what it is, but I have a special connection with the slime. Maybe it's destiny. Maybe it's fate. Maybe I'm the chosen one. Or maybe it's just something in my genetics that I have unique to me. Or perhaps the slime bonded with me more than any of its' other hosts - Rainbow was infected as long as I was, and she doesn't seem to have the same control over it. But whatever it is, whatever it may be, the point being ..."

Rarity took another step forward.

"I am Rarity Belle, Mistress of the Slime. I command it, Chrysalis, not you."

Rarity lifted her arms up and plunged them into the Citrus Slime.

"Rarity, what are you doing?" Twilight exclaimed.

Chrysalis gave a hearty laugh. "Ha ha ha… it's so good of you, Rarity, to surrender yourself to the Slime and me so willingly. Now if you don't mind, dear, come along… I'm going to have to think up something special for you."

Chrysalis looked around. She grew annoyed.

"Why aren't we moving?"

The Citrus Slime gurgled and burbled apologetically.

"I know, darling, I know." Rarity cooed to it, massaging it with her hands. "I forgive you. It's not your fault the big nasty Changeling woman made you do bad things. Now, if you would be a dear for me and be so kind as to get rid of her …"

"Ha!" Chrysalis scoffed. "You can't honestly expect this little trick to work, can you?"

The trick worked, as the Slime gurgled and formed piston on its top, which it launched upwards, ejecting Chrysalis off and throwing over the fence onto her back.

"Okay …" Chrysalis rolled to her stomach and pushed herself up. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Clearly.." Rarity said. She turned to the Slime. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, slimey-dear?"

The Citrus Slime raised up its tendrils. It brought them together and merged them, before turning them into one gigantic axe. The Slime reached its tendril over the fence and swung the ax like a pendulum, trying to chop Chrysalis in half.

Chrysalis rolled out of the way in time. Scowling, she aimed a hand at Rarity and shot forth a green projectile, blasting Rarity clear across the pavilion and into the wall, separating from the Slime and breaking her control over it.

"Well, obviously, this is something I'm going to have a figure out a way to counter and work around …" Chrysalis muttered. She blasted the Citrus Slime with a green mind-altering beam from her palm, bringing it back under her thrall. She grabbed the Slime's core body with magic and lifted it up, bringing over the fence and onto the ground with her.

Chrysalis climbed up the Slime to resume her position on top of her.

"Tell you what." Chrysalis said. "I'll make you a fair trade, Rarity. Your little sister for the book."

Rarity pulled herself of the wall she'd been lodged in. She would never give Chrysalis the book. She knew how much damage and destruction Chrysalis could cause with unfiltered access to the book and all its secrets and monsters to summon. "_That_ … is _not_ going to happen."

"Well, then, I guess I'll be keeping your sister for a little while longer." Chrysalis made the Citrus Slime turn around and crawl away. Rarity and Twilight hurled spells at Chrysalis to make her stop, but the Slime formed a square shield to protect Chrysalis from them. Chrysalis was able to escape and make her way off.

"Rarity …" Twilight asked, as all of the girls gathered around. "How did you do that?"

"I don't know." Rarity said. "I just … did. I just … knew I could." Rarity said. She placed a hand to her head as she thought. "It … it happened the first time when Fleur, infected attacked me and Suri in Canterlot. I was able to - to connect her and get her to heed my commands long enough to let Suri escape. Right then, it just … came naturally to me. I quickly realized I could … I could still control Slime-infested things and people, even though I am … no longer one of them."

"I wonder if that would explain why you weren't affected by my singing …" Sonata said, earning her odd looks from Rarity and the others. "Um, you know, back when I was still on Chrysalis' side."

"It seems possible …" Rarity said.

"Ugh." Twilight groaned, surveying the damage done to the pavilion. "I'm gonna have to take the repairs for this out of the royal treasury …"

"Or, you know, you could include it in the tip." Rainbow Dash said. "After all, we still didn't get our food."

"You're right, Rainbow Dash." Twilight said. "I think we'll do that." All of them but Rarity went over to a table which was still standing upright, smiling and nodding, acting as if nothing happened. "Waiter!" Twilight called. The waiter, though a shivering wreck, peered out the door and came out to collect their order.

"You know …" Fluttershy said. "Chrysalis said she was looking for Trixie …"

"Yeah." Twilight said. "Where is Trixie, anyway? Where could she be? … Rarity?" Twilight leaned over. "Aren't you going to join us?"

"No." Rarity said. "I'll go find something else later. You'll understand if my appetite is a bit ruined after that …"

Rarity stared at her hand, drops of orange slime on her fingers.

"Enough is enough." Rarity said to herself. "This won't end. It can't end. Not until I address the problem at its source … not until I confront my abuser." Rarity curled her slime-soaked hand into a fist.

"Rarity?" Twilight said as Rarity walked away. "If you're going somewhere, make sure to take someone with you."

No, Rarity thought, where I am going is somewhere you cannot follow. None of you follow me.

"Fine." Rarity said with a smile.

* * *

Suri, Sunset, and Trixie walked into a hotel. The clerk at the front desk was surprised by Trixie's appearance. She was covered in bandages, adhesive strips, and had a bag of ice tied around her head to cover her black eye. Sunset Shimmer kept a faintly-glowing palm against Trixie's back.

"Hi!" Suri said, resting her elbow on the counter. "Room for three, please? Our friend got into a nasty bar fight and needs a place to rest up."

"Um … sure, of course." The clerk said, taking out a key. "... Do I need to call the guards?"

"No, no." Sunset said. "Right, Beautrix?"

"Yes!" Trixie said, glancing nervously at Sunset. "Let I, the Great Trixie, be the first to assure you that I am here willingly, of my own accord, with and having given consent to these two ladies to …"

"I think he gets it." Sunset said.

"Okay …" The clerk handed Suri the key. "Room 103."

"Thank you." Suri and Sunset hurried Trixie up the stairs and ushered her into the room, the clerk remaining suspicious.

Suri threw Trixie onto the bed, getting her to take a seat on the mattress.

"We need to hurry." Sunset said. "That clerk is probably gonna figure out something's wrong and call the officials anyway."

"Yes." Suri said. "So, Trixie, what have you been up to? Don't leave out a single detail."

Trixie crossed her arms. "Trixie does not have to tell you anything."

"Oh, she doesn't?" Sunset Shimmer said with a smile. "Okay. I guess Trixie doesn't appreciate the fact we took her in to receive care after Rarity beat her up … and she won't mind if we … remove that care." Sunset walked over to Trixie and pinched her elbow, making Trixie's sore arm hurt.

"Ow ow ow! Okay, okay!"

Sunset let go of Trixie's arm.

"I've been trying to find a book. A very powerful, old, ancient spellbook." Trixie said. "For a woman… who's promised me to give me everything I've ever wanted if I get it for her and help her plans succeed."

"Gee." Sunset looked aside. "I don't know what that's like, to take advantage of people to help with nefarious plans. Except I'd bet even during my bad girl days, I was still more trustworthy than whoever you're working for."

"Whatever." Trixie said. "Our most recent plan, which is what led to Rarity beating Trixie up, was to kidnap her sister and trade her for the book … that's ... backfired, so far."

"Wow." Sunset raised a brow. "You and your group are real despicable, aren't you? And I should know. I have first hand experiencing being horrible enough to do that kind of thing."

"Hey." Suri glanced out the window. She walked up to it. "Sunset, come look at this."

"What?" Sunset asked, going towards the window.

"Look." Suri pointed.

"That's Rarity." Sunset said. "She's walking with a woman who is exceptionally pale … and it looks like she's going to the Everfree Forest."

"What could she want in there?" Suri asked.

"Don't know." Sunset said. "Maybe looking for her sister?"

"Should we follow her? Or them?"

Sunset slowly nodded. "I'm thinking we should. Trixie, come on, get up. We're going for a walk."

"What?" Trixie asked. "But I just sat down!"

Sunset and Suri grabbed the cowl of Trixie's cloak and lifted her up. "Come on." Sunset insisted. Trixie groaned as Sunset and Suri walked her out of the room and out of the hotel, leaving behind a confused and worried clerk.

* * *

Rarity and Sonata Dusk reached the edge of the Everfree.

"Oh? The Everfree Forest?" Sonata asked. "What are we doing here, Rarity?"

"Sonata …" Rarity said. "Thank you so much for agreeing to accompany me. And I want you to know, that I greatly appreciate all the help you've given to me, even if we couldn't find Sweetie Belle. I want you to know … I'm sorry. But if you realized the true stakes of what I'm about to do, I know you would try to stop me."

"What?"

Sonata grunted when Rarity hit her in the back of the head with a tree branch. Sonata fell down, crumpling over a tree trunk and its roots. "Oow …"

"I'm sorry." Rarity tossed the branch down and ran in another direction, leaving Sonata, groaning.

The main thought going through Sonata's head was Twilight and the others weren't going to trust her when she came back without Rarity, and wouldn't believe her when she tried to tell them Rarity did it, and she'd be separated from Spike. "Ooh …" Sonata groaned before letting herself go limp.

Suri, Sunset, and Trixie entered and made their way through the forest.

"So what does Rarity want in here, I wonder?" Sunset said. "What do you girls think?"

"I don't know." Suri said. "It could be anything."

"Maybe …" Trixie said. "You don't think she could be after the Alicorn Amulet, do you?"

"The what?" Suri asked.

"The Alicorn Amulet." Trixie said. "It's a mystical artifact of vast, dark power. Whoever wears it has their magic enhanced almost to the level of a Princess, but it slowly drives the wearer crazy and mad. I know. I wore it when I tried to beat Twilight. They managed to get off me. The last thing I knew, some zebra who lived in the forest had taken it."

"I don't think Rarity would go that far and use anything like that." Sunset said, laughing it off.

"Yes." Suri agreed. "I've known Rarity to be willing bend the rules and play a little dirty now and then, but I wouldn't think she would go so far as use something as evil and dark as that."

The trio stopped in place, an explosion rocking the ground beneath them.

"What was that?" Suri asked.

"I don't know, but we'd better go find out!" Sunset said.

They were able to follow the sound of the explosion and trace it back to its source, made easier by the fact smaller, quieter booms followed in its place. They traced it back to a hut in the Everfree.

The girls gasped. The hut's windows were all shattered. The door was broken off its hinges, and shingles were displaced from the roof. The hut had seen better days.

The trio made their way inside. Zecora was lying on the floor, nursing her head and grimacing. Rarity was making a mess of the place, ransacking the shelves, using her magic to knock them loose and make their contents slide off, crashing to the ground.

"Where is it?" Rarity asked. "Where is it, Zecora!?"

"Wanting to rescue your sister is surely a noble goal." Zecora said. "But answer me this. To save your sister, are you willing to sell your soul?"

Rarity glared at Zecora.

"Yes." Rarity answered without blinking or flinching. She used her magic to toss aside the items and clear another shelf. "Ah … here it is." Rarity levitated up a box to her hands and opened it. Inside was a black necklace, with the front of it sculpted to resemble a winged, horned horse, and a red jewel set in the center. The Alicorn Amulet.

Rarity took the Amulet out of the box.

"Rarity, wait!" Sunset reached a hand out. "Think about what you're doing!"

"I have thought about it." Rarity answered. "And I've thought it through."

"Rarity …" Trixie said. "Take it from me. I know, out of the three of us, you have the most reason trust me the least, but _listen to me._ I used the Amulet myself once. I thought I could handle it. That I could control its power. I couldn't. Instead, it controlled me. It consumed me. And it'll do the same thing to you if you put it on! So please … _don't_ put it on."

Rarity narrowed her eyes at Trixie. "That's the difference between you and I, Trixie. You thought you could control it. I know that I can't. But if it saves my sister - if it gives me the strength to do what I need to do - then that is a price I'm willing to pay."

"Rarity …" Sunset clenched her fists, enveloping them in a yellow aura. "You know we can't let you do this. We won't."

"Funny. I don't seem to recall asking your permission."

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie flung spells at Rarity, a pair of yellow fireballs and a sparkling firework of a spell, respectively. Rarity was able to duck and evade the spells, making them hit the wall.

"I may not have as much raw power as Twilight … but that doesn't mean I don't know how to use it."

With magic, Rarity lifted up all of the things she had knocked off the shelves. She pointed them Sunset and Trixie and tossed all of them forward, striking Sunset, Trixie, and Suri with a barrage of knick-knacks, tribal masks, and miscellaneous boxes. Sunset tried to fight her way through them, punching and pushing the knick-knacks out of the air. She began blasting them, shooting golden rays from her palms to blast the debris away.

While Sunset and her friends were distracted, Rarity threw the Amulet back into the box and closed it up, clutching the box to her chest as she made her way through the window. She lifted the broken pane up and crawled through, hopping out the window and running towards Ponyville.

"Oh, ponyfeathers!" Sunset swore. She crossed her hands across each other, letting out a massive burst of golden fire which knocked the remaining projectiles down and to the ground. She turned around and sprinted out the door.

"Where are you going?" Suri shouted as Sunset ran.

"To contact Celestia!" Sunset answered. "This is a problem!"

"You can do that?" Suri and Trixie asked in unison, surprised to learn Sunset was influential enough to contact the Princess. Sunset paid them no heed.

Sunset Shimmer made her way into Ponyville and reached Twilight's library. She slammed her fist on the door, knocking furiously.

Twilight opened the door cautiously, cracking it open to see who was there. Sunset, in a hurry and needing to get through, had no patience to ask why Twilight was being so cautious and barged her way in, throwing the open and knocking Twilight aside.

"Spike!" Sunset shouted. "Where's Spike?"

"Here I am." Spike said. "Oh. Hi, Sunset Shimmer. What's up?"

Sunset grabbed him by the shoulders. "I need you to send an express message to Celestia with the best postage available,_ now,_ and I need you to get it to her as fast as possible."

"Okay, okay! Just let go of my shoulders! Yeesh …" Spike rubbed his shoulders after Sunset let them go.

* * *

Rarity trudged her way through Ponyville, having unburdened herself of the box and tossed it aside. She walked briskly, but calmly, to avoid anyone spotting her and catching on she was in the midst of doing something she probably shouldn't.

Rarity's excellent poker face skills became a moot point when Celestia landed in front of her, descending from the sky.

"Hello, Rarity." Celestia said.

"Hello, Princess." Rarity said.

"I just got a letter." Celestia said. "A letter from my ex-pupil Sunset Shimmer, of all people. Can you imagine that? She tells me that you've stolen the Alicorn Amulet from your friend Zecora."

"You know about the Amulet, then?" Rarity asked. "I do not deny or admit to stealing anything."

"Rarity …" Celestia said. "You know I cannot condone allowing you to use an artifact as dark and powerful as the Alicorn Amulet."

"I know." Rarity said.

A flash swept over Rarity's eyes.

"That's why I already put it on."

Rarity fired a tiny red energy beam from her fingers. It was diminutive, but it was packing enough power to blast Celestia away, striking her in the midsection and knocking her off her feet. Whether or not the blast had hurt was irrelevant to Rarity; she only required Celestia be incapacitated long enough for her to teleport away. Rarity disappeared in a sparkling flash of white light with a red trim around it.

* * *

Rarity teleported herself in front of a cave in the Everfree Forest. A particular cave. A special cave.

Rarity walked towards the cave, stopping a patch of dirt which had been disrupted recently. It had a circle dug around it, man-made, almost the way someone would bundle dirt up to protect the base of a plant. Someone had wanted to mark this spot for later use.

Rarity plunged her hand into the dirt patch. The dirt was loosely pack enough she had no trouble pulling out the contents inside the hole - the book. The book Chrysalis had wanted. The book Rarity hid.

_Funny._ Rarity thought. _I buried this here to hide it .. and to use as a tactic to scare Shining Armor. I never dreamed I would actually be … using it._

Rarity wrapped her arms around the book, holding it to her chest as she entered the cave. Around the cave entrance were outlines of soot and ash tracing where vines had been once, long ago, before Shining Armor and his men came and burned them. They burnt them all, as a part of a massive cleanup operation in the wake of a slime infection.

Making her way inside, Rarity looked around and saw crystals inside the cave. Each of them were broken and shattered, with holes punched through some of them. Pickaxes had been taken to them, by Shining Armor's men.

The plants and crystals had been part of an expansive set up to trap victims and bring them to the monster living inside the cave, with the plants encircling them them and seducing them with tickles and kisses, and then the crystals, with their shimmering and humming, hypnotized them. It was an amazing set up, from an evolutionary point of view. Everything would have to evolved in precisely the right way to make it happen, and one has to wonder what the symbiotic nature was; it was obvious the benefit to the monster previously dwelling inside the cave, but what where the plants and crystals getting out of the deal?

Rarity pushed the thought aside. She arrived at the edge of an enormous pit.

_Back where it all began._ Rarity thought.

Rarity opened the book. She brushed her finger on her tongue before flipping through the pages, until she found what she was looking for.

"Ah."

Rarity held the book to the side, keeping her eyes on the words as she raised a hand towards the pit. A red glow formed around her hand. Rarity went to work casting the spell from the back. The glow around her hand increase in size, before turning sickly shade of pinkish-purple lavender. Her hand produced a wavy, hollow beam like one from a cartoon flying saucer which fell into the pit and filled it up with its magical presence.

A rumble shook through the cave. A loud, roaring gurgle came from the pit.

With a dramatic flourish, Rarity tossed the book aside to the cave floor. She took her foot and stomped the book down.

A purple, spherical mass began to rise out of the pit, going further and further up until its top hemisphere brushed the ceiling. It reached out its tendrils, each of which wriggled and writhed. A massive monster of purple slime, a system of tubes from which the creature took its name visible inside its mass. Its name of …

The Pipe Slime.

"Hello." Rarity said, placing a hand on the Pipe Slime's surface. "Do you remember me? Of course you do. My torturer … my abuser … but things are going to change, oh yes. Things are different now. You're not going to hurt me. You are not going to control me any longer. I am going to control you. Lower yourself for me, will you?"

The Pipe Slime did as Rarity asked, sinking itself into the pit.

Rarity climbed up its side. She stood on top of it. She turned around and spread her arms out before falling backward on to the Pipe Slime's surface.

The gem of the Alicorn Amulet glowing, Rarity began to sink into the Pipe Slime, her body slowly lowering, being covered inch by inch by the purple ooze until she was submerged and all but drowned inside of it.

* * *

"Princess!" Twilight exclaimed, running up to Princess Celestia in the street. She took Celestia's hands and helped Celestia to her feet. "Are you alright?"

Celestia groaned, but stood. "I'm fine …"

"Strong enough to fight?" Twilight asked. "We've been planning all afternoon, and we finally figured out a way to locate Chrysalis' camp. The girls and I are about ready to stage an assault on Chrysalis, as soon as we can find her. It would be great if you could come help."

"Nothing would please me more." Celestia said. "I would love nothing more than to help you finally squash that bug once and for all … but … I'm afraid I can't. Rarity has the Alicorn Amulet, and I do not where she has gone, or what she is planning to do …"

"I know." Twilight said. "I know about all that. But we should deal with one problem at time. We need to move, and fast. We should deal with Chrysalis as quickly as possible, and then we can worry about Rarity. The Alicorn Amulet won't drive her crazy right away."

"I suppose you're right." Celestia said. "Still, I wonder what possessed her to take so drastic an action …"

"Who knows?" Twilight said. She moved, dragging Celestia by the arm, but Celestia planted her feet firm on the grass.

"Wait." Celestia said. "What is that?"

Celestia pointed to an alley. Twilight turned to see what it was.

It appeared to be a long-haired woman, but … made out of green slime, the lower half of her body and her hands sinking and melting into a puddle of green slime which trailed her movements as she crawled along the ground. It crawled towards them.

Twilight insisted on standing in front of Celestia to guard her. Celestia, being older, wiser, and taller than Twilight, picked Twilight up and moved her behind where Celestia could guard her.

The slime woman stopped at their feet. It looked up at them, regarding them.

"Ssssswwww."

"Ssssswwww?" Twilight asked.

The slime woman repeated itself. "Ssssswwww."

"I'm sorry." Celestia said. "We don't understand. Can you explain?"

The slime woman tilted her head at them, as if puzzled by why it couldn't understand them and didn't have what it wanted. It turned to the right and began crawling down the road.

"What is that?" Celestia asked.

"There's no time to figure it out." Twilight said. "We'll come back to later, after we deal with Chrysalis … besides, it …" Twilight watched the thing go. "It doesn't seem to be hurting anyone, so … we can hope that it is harmless."

"I hope you're right." Celestia said. "Twilight … if we get back from dealing with Chrysalis and find out that thing has hurt someone, I'm going to be very cross with you. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." Twilight said. "But that's a risk I'm willing to take. Chrysalis has been threatening us and our families, and she's going to ruin our lives if she's left unchecked for much longer. Let's go." Twilight jerked her head and ran off. Celestia followed her.

* * *

Honeycomb watched over Aria Blaze's cocoon, making sure no harm came to it while Aria completed her transformation.

Aria Blaze emerged, punching a hole through the film of the honeycomb before it ripped open and dumped her out. Now a bee of Honeycomb's species, Aria stood up from the honey she was drenched in and examined her fingers, deploying the stingers from under her fingernails.

"Awesome." Aria Blaze said. She flapped her wings and got off the ground. "We're off to Ponyville, Honeycomb. Let's paint the town red. We'll sting as many as we can and bring them over to turn them into more bees."

"I like the way you, mmm, think." Honeycomb flapped her wings and flew off with Aria.

They buzzed their way to the outskirts of Ponyville.

"Whoa." Aria stopped midair. "Check it out."

Multiples of the slime woman Celestia and Twilight had encountered were roaming through Ponyville. They crawled around until they found someone, where they went up to them, buzzing their 'ssssswwww' noise until it became clear no one had any idea what they were trying to ask about, and left. The residents were freaked out, hiding indoors and cowering behind whatever cover they could find.

"Eeugh." Aria stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Maybe now isn't the best to try and stage a takeover … everyone will be on edge and have their guard up as long as these things are around. Not the state you want your victims to be in. Come on. Let's go back." Aria turned and flew away. Honeycomb cast a glance at the slime women, perhaps in consideration of joining them instead before deciding to stick with Aria and leaving with her.

Trixie and Suri, lagging way behind Sunset Shimmer, arrived at Ponyville.

"Whoa." Trixie expressed on seeing the slime woman running around. "What… what are these these things?"

"I don't know." Suri said. She narrowed her eyes. "They look like … woman made out of … slime?"

"Slime?" Trixie's eyes widened. "Oh, that's not good."

"Why is that not good?"

"I know things." Trixie said. "Things you don't know, Suri. I know about slime, and I know slime is definitely not good."

"Really?" Suri said. She looked around town. "But they don't seem to be hurting anyone …"

One of the slime woman came up to them.

"Hello." Suri said awkwardly.

Trixie jumped behind Suri to hide. "Don't trust it, Suri!"

Suri elected to ignore her. "Hey there, little fella … can I help you with something?"

"Ssssswwww?" The slime cooed.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Suri said. "I don't know anything about a ssssswwww."

The slime woman hung her head, crestfallen. It moved away from them, crawling off to find someone else and see if they could answer her query.

"Ssssswwww?" Trixie asked. "Hmm … you don't think …?"

* * *

Twilight Sparkle and her assembled force, including her friends, Celestia, Sonata, Shining Armor, Cadence, and a quickly-roped in and briefed Sunset, gathered under some oak trees.

"Is everyone here and ready?" Twilight asked.

"Ready." Was the unanimous reply.

"Wait a minute …" Twilight said. "Where's Discord? Fluttershy, I thought you were going to go talk to him?"

"I did." Fluttershy said. "I, um, asked him if he would help. He, um, told me he didn't want to, made up an excuse, and left through some kind of … chaos void after putting on a fishing outfit."

"Of course he did." Twilight sighed. "Well, we've gotten this far. We'll make do without him. Heck, he might have even made things worse, the way his magic works. Does everyone understand the plan?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Get in, extract Sweetie Belle safely …" Shining Armor said.

"And then stomp Chrysalis and grind her bones under our heels until she's dust." Cadence growled.

"Uh … maybe not so violent?" Shining Armor suggested.

"Princess, you're up." Twilight said.

Chrysalis and Adagio lounged about on a smooth rock, cuddling together.

"You know …" Adagio said, making flirty eyes at Chrysalis. "Have I ever told you how much I _appreciate_ you, Chrysalis?" Adagio moved her hand over Chrysalis' chest.

"Oh, I don't think you have." Chrysalis smiled "Why don't you … appreciate me a little bit?" She took Adagio's hand.

A whistle from a firecracker blew overhead. A massive, sun-like sphere of energy launched over Chrysalis and Adagio in an arc, smashing up the side of the mountain they were resting against. Chrysalis and Adagio barely got of the way of the rocks which fell from the blast in time.

"You!" Chrysalis exclaimed as Twilight and her fighting force emerged. "I see Sunset is with you, but aren't you missing a member? Whatever happened to your little 'slime mistress'? Aren't you at a disadvantage without her?"

"You forget about what's going on with her and worry about us." Rainbow Dash said, brandishing a club at her.

"And I see Sunset is with you." Chrysalis noted with disdain.

"We're only down one Rarity, whereas you're down a Siren and a Trixie." Twilight said, infuriating Chrysalis with her mention of Trixie. "I'll take those odds."

"Hmph." Adagio huffed, noticing Sonata. "So I guess Aria was right about you after all, Sonata, hmm?"

Sonata couldn't bring herself to do more than smile and chuckled awkwardly.

"How did you find me?" Chrysalis asked.

"Well, it took us awhile …" Twilight admitted. "Until we realized we could just use a locator spell to find Sweetie Belle. You didn't properly guard Sweetie Belle from that kind of magic. We figured it would lead us to you, and here we are."

"Here we are." Chrysalis reaffirmed. She pointed her finger out. "Changelings, attack!"

A number of hidden Changelings jumped out from hiding places. Cadence and Sunset blasted them with magic, while Rainbow Dash went forward and beat them up with her club.

Celestia and Twilight, working together, raised their hands and doubled on Chrysalis, blasting her with spells from both of them and knocking Chrysalis on her back.

Adagio Dazzle, paying the battle no heed, walked up to Sonata.

Sonata chuckled uneasily. "Eh heh heh … so …"

"So!" Adagio agreed. "Traitor."

Adagio hit Sonata with one of the most ineffective, but emotionally painful combat moves of all - a hard, piercing slap to her cheek.

"Hey!" Aria Blaze and Honeycomb flew in, Aria landing herself by Adagio and Sonata. "Don't start the party without me!"

Adagio was taken aback by Aria's change in appearance. "Aria? What are you doing? Why are you a bee?"

"Haven't you heard?" Aria said. "After seeing you two fall for that fake love stuff, I decided to split before I became infested with it. I'm a solo act now! Now c'mere, you two!" Aria grabbed Sonata and Aria by the foreheads and banged their heads together, all with a grin on her face.

"Ugh …" Chrysalis groaned, sitting up. She saw Honeycomb pursuing and chasing Fluttershy, trying to get her stingers in her. She also saw Aria. "Honeycomb? … What are you and Aria doing?"

"What I, mmm, want to do!" Honeycomb. "And what I want to do is make everyone into, mmm, bees like myself! Aria will let me do that!"

"Hmph. So it looks like Honeycomb's defected again. Too bad. I liked her. No matter." Chrysalis hopped to her feet. "I'm sure I can get her back on my side once this mess is over."

"What makes you think there's still going to even be a 'your side' for her to go back to when this is over?" Celestia asked.

"We're not letting you get away this time, Chrysalis." Twilight said. "Today will only end with your complete and utter defeat … or ours."

Celestia fired a ray at Chrysalis, knocking her over again.

Chrysalis, despite being humiliated, got up and chuckled. "Oh, my dear, Twilight Sparkle. You don't realize … I am the one holding all the cards!"

Chrysalis raised her hand up, glowing an intense green aura. The Citrus Slime burst through the mountain, Sweetie Belle entranced and lifeless in its tendrils. The Slime lowered Sweetie Belle down to Chrysalis, where Chrysalis wrapped her arm around Sweetie's neck and held her up. Celestia growled.

"What's the matter?" Chrysalis asked. "Upset that you realize you can't hurt me without also hurting one of your precious subjects, which the loving, noble Celestia just cannot bring herself to do? I, however, have no qualms with playing dirty and making the occasional sacrifice play."

Chrysalis fired a beam at Celestia, blasting her into a tree.

"Princess!" Twilight reached out in concern, but the Citrus Slime lowered its tendril and swatted her away.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Chrysalis laughed.

Celestia recovered, getting herself out of the tree, her hands burning brighter than ever with a golden plume.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Chrysalis said, shaking Sweetie Belle in her grasp. "You can't hit me, remember? Not unless you want to risk hurting Sweetie Belle."

Celestia, enraged and fighting mad, fired a beam at Chrysalis. Chrysalis raised Sweetie Belle up, making Sweetie Belle take the hit in her stomach. The blast still pushed Chrysalis back, but the main damage was all on Sweetie Belle, her shirt smoking.

Celestia covered her mouth and gasped, shocked she had done to Sweetie what she did.

"I knew it." Chrysalis smirked. "You can't do it. You don't have it in you. You can't hurt someone innocent to get at me."

Celestia growled and huffed, staring daggers at Chrysalis … only to hang her head, dispelling the magic from her palms.

"Princess!" Twilight said.

"There's no use. What we can do, Twilight Sparkle?" Celestia asked. "If we decide it's acceptable to harm Sweetie Belle to get to her, we're no better than she is."

"But … but … no!" Twilight glared at Chrysalis, her hands glowing. "We can still beat her! We can still -!" Twilight put her hands together and prepared to fire a burst, but the Citrus Slime swatted her again and knocked her down.

"Hahahahaaaa!" Chrysalis laughed heartily. "Now this is how it should be! My monster, beating you down, while you two are helpless to fight back. Bwa ha ha!"

The Citrus Slime lifted up its tendrils for another pass. It struck Twilight in the side, sending her rolling as though she were a golf ball, and slammed into Celestia, sending her flying to the side. The Slime reached down and picked the two of them, lifting them up and bringing them over, where it dumped them at Chrysalis' feet.

"Now …" Chrysalis said. "I think it's time for something a little more punishing, don't you? Yes … something humiliating for the dear Princess Celestia."

Chrysalis snapped her fingers. The Slime picked Celestia up by the arms and dragged her up, lying her on her back. The Slime reached its tendril and began to envelope Celestia's chest.

"No!" Twilight screamed. Chrysalis reached down and struck Twilight in the face with her elbow.

Cadence saw what was going on and attempted to intervene. She fired a spell intended to freeze at the Citrus Slime, but thanks to Chrysalis' antifreeze charm, the bolt bounced off the Slime, and hit her, covering her in midsection in ice. Cadence lurched and staggered backward. Shining Armor went over to aid his wife, allowing a Changeling to sneak up on him and strike him in the back of the head.

"I got it!" Sunset declared, shooting a wispy comet of fire hurtling at the Citrus Slime, but the fire hit the side of the Citrus Slime's tendril and dispersed, the Slime unbothered by the heat or spell.

"Hahaha …" Chrysalis laughed again. "Well, if you don't mind saying … it looks like I win! You lose, Celestia. Sorry, Celestia. I guess you just weren't heartless enough to win."

Celestia closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, bracing herself as best she could for what was to come. She prepared herself … first it would be the suckling … next would come the injection to milk and slime into her mouth … after which would begin the process of losing her mind to the desire to feed milk and spread slime to every woman and man she laid eyes on.

The first step didn't come.

"Hmm?" Celestia opened her eyes, noticing the tentacle planted on her chest wasn't nursing her.

"What's going on?" Chrysalis asked. "What are you doing? What's the holdup!? Suckle her and infect her already!" Chrysalis shook an angry hand at the Citrus Slime.

The Citrus Slime lifted its tendril off Celestia's chest. It began to slither away.

"What are you doing!?" Chrysalis screamed. "Get back here and finish the job!"

The Citrus Slime continued to leave, unbothered by Chrysalis' scream. Chrysalis fired a beam at the Citrus Slime to take control of its mind, but it had no effect.

The ground shook hard, throwing every combatant two inches into the air. It shook again, and again, tremors coming from an unknown source.

A figure emerged from the distance, coming into shape.

"What is that?" Adagio Dazzle asked.

"It looks like …" Sonata said.

"No … it can't be." Twilight said. "Is that … Rarity?"

Rarity arrived, slithering her way onto the battlefield. She had summoned the Pipe Slime, and merged with into some horrible creature beyond imagining, beyond anything Twilight or Celestia or even Chrysalis could think to describe.

Purple slime coated her body, keeping her high in the air. It gathered up around her body in a mass before going down and tapering downwards into a tail in a distinct mermaid shape. Her arms were massive, hanging lumbering tentacles which were the source of the tremors a moment ago. A mass of enormous spikes made from slime jutted out from her back. The Citrus Slime crawled up her back and merged with the fusion, becoming another set of orange spikes nested on top. The only visible, recognizable as human part of her left was her face and hair, which were was dripping with slime from every orifice imaginable. It drooled out of her mouth, it dropped her nostrils, it bled from her ears … it even leaked from the tear ducts in her eyes. What appeared to be an enormous block-shaped scab covered and formed her chest, appearing to be some kind of chest armor.

"Where … is … my … siiiissster?" Rarity groaned, her voice distorted and garbled. The best description Twilight could give was it being whale song recorded on sub-par sound equipment, which was then played through a radio with a choppy, flaky signal.

"Where isssss she?" Rarity demanded, slime burbling and dripping out from her mouth.

"Whoa." Aria Blaze walked up to Rarity, holding her hands up in surrender. Everyone could tell she was afraid. "Calm down, Rarity. You're - you're a reasonable woman. I'm sure we can work this out. There's, heh, no need to get upset … we can … we can work something out."

"BLEAAAAUGH!"

Rarity vomited out a massive amount of lumped-together slime, which it splashed and contorted, taking on different shapes before settling into the shape of the slime woman which had been terrorizing Ponyville.

"Whoa!" Aria Blaze jumped back in surprise, landing on her bottom. She crawled backward as the slime woman lumbered towards, reaching out a hand towards Aria Blaze as if it intended to drag Aria down into the depths of Tartarus. It grabbed Aria's ankle and pulled her forward, and Aria couldn't escape the slime's grip, even by flapping her new insect wings.

"Sssswwwweeeeetttttie Belle!" The slime woman hissed.

"You shouldn't have kidnapped my sister." Rarity said, speaking more clearly without her slime woman spawn forming a lump in her throat. "Oh, any of my friends, sure, I wouldn't mind as much … Twilight … Fluttershy … they're all big girls. They can handle it. The _slime_ and the _mind control_ and the_ milk._ But my sister? My sister, who's never had a serious sexual experience in her life? That is a step too far. I cannot forgive that. Anyone else, I'd be content to just beat you for the day and let go, but now … now I'm afraid I won't be satisfied with anything less than your imminent and painful deaths."

Rarity dropped the black scab on her chest, revealing it wasn't a scab at all - it was knives. Lots of them. Every knife and bladed object from Rarity's house - and maybe a few other houses, dangling from her chest like stalactites, dangling and bouncing on thin, stringy strands of slime.

Rarity twirled the knives, aiming them at the villains, and launched her tendrils forward.

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Vaccination"**

**It's a bit odd to me, at least, given that it's supposed to be 10 years in story and Sunset has had two - going on three movies - in the real world where she's a good guy for her to reference her days as a villainess like it was yesterday. It can create a jarring disconnect.**

**I really wanted the scene between Dash, Harshwhinny and Shining have dark lighting, but crowbarring into being nighttime and making Dash and Rarity going to bed so it would night seemed off, as wouldn't they still be worried about Sweetie Belle and any potential more nabbings? So instead, I came up with Dash closing the blinds. WRITING: Don't make it tricky.**

**I notice this chapter also involved someone getting seduced by just, only to be rescued, TWICE in the same chapter might be a bit repetitive. But I need to get my SunDagio kicks in somewhere.**

**You don't see a whole lot of Sunset and Fleur together. There should be more of that.**

**It was always (give or take) my plan to have Rarity use the ALicorn Amulet, but HOW she used it differed, ranging from taking on an evil sorceress dress and hypnotizing a quarter of monsters, including two dragons and a hydra at one point, to putting herself in a suit of black-colored Royal Guard armor.**

**I like this Pipe Slime fusion monster much better. Isn't she pretty this way? :P**


	10. Antidote

**By Darkryt Orbinautz**

**Last Glass of Poison **

**Chapter 10**

**Antidote**

* * *

The knives of Rarity's tendrils went scattering about in every direction. Some of them stabbed into the ground, missing their targets as Rarity overshot or under-compensated. Others of them were reflected by defensive spells, with Twilight and Chrysalis creating shields out of magic.

Aria Blaze fluttered her wings, achieving lift-off, but the slime woman clung to her ankle, keeping Aria tied down to earth.

Rarity glared. She calmly yanked the knives out of the ground and twirled them, rearing them up for another pass. Raising an eyebrow, Rarity noticed Chrysalis attempting to escape.

"Well, now, we can't have that, now can we?" Rarity asked. Not once losing her calm, Rarity launched a tendril at Chrysalis, wrapping it around her midsection, cutting a wound into the side of her waist. Rarity lifted Chrysalis up and brought the Queen towards her.

"I will grant you one mercy, Chrysalis." Rarity said. "Celestia knows you wouldn't grant the same for me. I am going to let you choose how you die. So how do you choose to die? With a knife to heart? Suffocation? Or perhaps you'll want me to simply lift you up and snap your neck?"

"Rarity, stop!" Twilight cried out, running up to her.

Rarity gave Twilight a dull but curious expression. She didn't care what Twilight had to say, but wanted to hear it anyway.

"This isn't like you!" Twilight cried. "You're not some unrepentant murderer! It's not worth it!"

"It's worth anything to get my sister back." Rarity said. "Do you know where she is? Do you have her?"

Twilight looked around. "She was right here just a minute ago … where did she go?"

"Do you know where to find her?"

"Um, well … no."

"Then I don't care for anything you have to say!" Rarity took the bulky tendril on her arm and swatted Twilight aside, sending her flying into a tree, where Twilight let out a grunt. Rarity slithered.

"Rarity, please!" Sonata Dusk ran up to her. "Listen to what Twilight Sparkle is saying! Listen to your friend!"

Rarity raised up her arm-tendril and batted Sonata Dusk away the same way she had done to Twilight,, hesitating and stopping for only a brief second as she recalled how had Sonata had helped her before. Rarity heard the buzz of insect wings. Looking up, she saw two Changelings carrying Sweetie Belle by the arms, flying and trying to ferry her away.

"Ah. I see." Rarity pulled up Chrysalis to her face. "You had your Changelings come and get Sweetie Belle to take her away. I won't allow that." Rarity shot out two of her tendrils, swatting the Changelings in the midsection, making them kneel over and drop Sweetie Belle. Rarity caught Sweetie Belle in her tendrils, looping them around Sweetie Belle's ankles and letting Sweetie Belle hang and dangle from them.

Another pair of Changelings flew in to replace their crippled brethren. They took hold of Sweetie Belle and were able to pry her out of the thin tendrils, goop splashing everywhere.

"NO!" Rarity roared, spitting purple slime from her mouth.

Aria Blaze grunted and continued flapping her wings. They buzzed and buzzed until she was able to break free, her leg popping out through the slime's woman gasp. The pop from Aria's escape distracted Rarity, causing her to turn over to the sound. Chrysalis seized the opportunity of the distraction, taking out her palm and firing a blast which cut through Rarity's tendril, chopping it in half and allowing Chrysalis to land on her feet.

Rarity turned back around to chase her as Chrysalis ran away on foot. "Arooo!" Rarity howled before slithering after Chrysalis.

Twilight joined Chrysalis in running away from Rarity, jogging up to Chrysalis' side.

"Chrysalis!" Twilight shouted. "You need to hand over Sweetie Belle! You have to!"

"No!" Chrysalis shouted back. "I will not give up Sweetie Belle! My victory hinges on trading Sweetie Belle for the book! Rarity is the only one who knows where it is! Besides … if nothing else, my pride won't allow for it. I refuse to admit defeat so easily!"

"Dammit, Chrysalis!" Twilight snapped. "Your 'pride' is less important than our lives! Give Sweetie Belle over to Rarity, or you're going to get us all killed!"

"I don't see what the problem with that would be, so long as I take all of you with me." Chrysalis replied. "Didn't you say this was going to be the final battle?"

"I did." Twilight stopped running. Purple fire formed in her hands. Chrysalis, accepting her challenge, stopped as well, flexing her fingers as she conjured a green ball in her palm.

The duel between them was cut short, as one of Rarity's tendrils launched out and rammed Chrysalis, picking her up and throwing her against a tree and digging a knife into her shoulder.

"Urg." Chrysalis groaned as the knife was pulled out, slowly and painfully. "On second thought, I've changed my mind. Dying would be kind of terrible and painful."

Rarity took the tendril off Chrysalis, letting her slide down the tree, and twirled the knife in her tendril, ready to stab at Chrysalis a second time. Twilight raised up her fists and got next to Chrysalis, blasting Rarity's tendril away, meaning to stop her friend's rampage, even if it meant sparing Chrysalis' life. Rarity narrowed her eyes at Twilight, feeling betrayed, but Twilight held her ground.

"I won't let you kill her." Twilight said.

Everyone else involved began to gather around, intending to band together and stop Rarity's trail of destruction, whether it was due to moral concerns; concerned for the effect killing would have on Rarity, or for their own selfish reasons, seeing it as in their best surveyed the assembled force laid out below her. Undaunted, Rarity raised up and let out a deep, raging roar.

* * *

Inside the Ponyville Library, Apple Bloom rested her head on her hands. She let out a groan. She stood up, catching Scootaloo's attention.

"This isn't right." Apple Bloom began to pace around the room. "My big sister knows I can handle myself in a fight. She's seen me do it. We should be out there, doing something!"

"Like what, exactly?" Scootaloo asked.

"I don't know!" Apple Bloom threw her arms in the air. "We know they're all out there, trying to find Sweetie Belle and take out the bad guys. We should go help them!"

"Twilight told us to stay in the library." Scootaloo reminded her.

"Scoots, y'all can't tell me y'all are really happy sitting here, doing nothing?"

Scootaloo crossed her arms and grumbled. "No … but Twilight will take care of it, won't she?"

"But we could be helping!" Apple Bloom insisted. "Heck, we could go out there and find Sweetie Belle ourselves!"

Scootaloo turned away.

Apple Bloom sighed. "Look, I know things have been awkward between you and Sweetie Belle lately, but she's still our friend, ain't she?"

"Yeah …" Scootaloo admitted, looking down guiltily at the floor. "She is."

"The sooner we can find her, the sooner you and her can talk things out, and we can all put this awkward phase behind us. Especially me." Apple Bloom muttered under her breath.

Scootaloo was convinced. She stood up. "Okay. Let's do something."

"Great!" Apple Bloom pumped her fist through the air. She opened the front door. "Let's go!"

* * *

Celestia and Chrysalis worked together, hurling barrages of spells at Rarity. The slime protected her like a rippling kevlar vest, each spell causing nothing but a distance in the slime's surface tension, ripples travelling out from where the spells hit before the slime reconstituted itself into a solid surface. Rarity slithered forward.

Twilight threw her own blast at Rarity's chest, which threw Rarity's top half backwards and made her stagger, but only barely, as she soon righted herself and advanced.

Twilight looked around. She pointed. "Quick! Into that cave!"

"How many fragging caves are there in Ponyville?" Aria Blaze asked.

"You want to to stay out here and talk about that, or do you want to get some cover between you and Rarity?" Sunset Shimmer asked.

Aria nodded, conceding the point. Led by Twilight, the group fled and hurried into the cave, gathering up and huddling inside.

Once everyone was inside and after a check to make sure Rarity wasn't out there, Twilight took a breather rested her back against the cave wall, panting and breathing heavily. "We need to come up with a plan."

"Here's one." Sunset Shimmer said. "Make Chrysalis give Sweetie Belle back like Rarity wants."

"Never." Chrysalis hissed.

"I hear you down there, darlings!" Rarity called. She soon appeared outside the cave entrance and hunched over to look inside. "Or did you think I wouldn't notice you fleeing to the inside of this cave? I'm practically 20 feet tall! I would notice a few small objects running away from me."

"Whatever.." Aria Blaze sulked, before grinning. "There's no way you can fit in here. Not with all that slime on you."

Rarity grinned back, wiping the grin clean off Aria's face. "Oh, can't I? I beg to differ, darlings." Rarity pulled up her arm tendril and slimmed it down before sliding it into the cave, the slime making squishy sloshing as Rarity slid it around the lip of the cave entrance.

"But why would I want to fit inside the cave …" Rarity pulled out her arm out. She raised her arms up and shifted the tips of her arms into massive hammerheads, the size of a small house each.

"When I can simply drop the mountain down on you? Ooh hoo hoo ooh hoo hoo ha ha!" Rarity asked, wearing a psychotic grin. She laughed and giggled like a maniac, banging her hammers into the side of the mountain. Rubble and dust fell from the roof of the cave, and a few stalactites broke and dropped to the cave floor. The Sirens all bit their lips, concerned for their lives.

"Rarity, stop!" Twilight shouted, coming out of the cave as Rarity knocked more dust loose. Rarity continued hammering the mountain, oblivious to Twilight. "Rarity, if you cause a cave-in, you'll kill all of us!"

"You and the rest of our friends can leave, darling!" Rarity said, grinning as she continued bashing the mountain. "I'm not stopping you!"

"O … kay. Not what I wanted to hear." Twilight said. "But Rarity, if you kill Chrysalis, there'll be no one who can tell you where she ordered her Changelings to take Sweetie Belle!"

Whether bringing this up would have gotten through to Rarity and gotten her to stop was a moot point, as Aria Blaze ran up behind Twilight and tackled her out of the way, throwing her onto the rocks while Aria made her way out of the cave, taking flight.

"Oof! Hey!" Twilight groaned.

Chrysalis joined Aria, running out of the cave and spreading her wings. Rarity turned and followed them, attempted to hit each of them with her knife tendrils, but she missed. Chrysalis and Aria spun and weaved around to further throw off Rarity's and flew up to the top of the mountain. They descended and perched themselves on the mountain top, nestling themselves between the rocks.

"Okay." Aria Blaze rested her hands on her knees and turned to Chrysalis. "She shouldn't be able to get up here, right?"

"She _shouldn't._" Chrysalis said. "But then again, she shouldn't have been able to take control of the slime like she did."

"Rraaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Rarity roared, Turning her tendrils back to their natural tapering shape, Rarity dug her slimy arms into the side of the mountain and attempted to clamber up. Though she was able to make her way up the mountain somewhat, she slid back down, and the side of it became too smooth to grip and find purchase on the mountain's rocky, jagged surface."Ha ha!" Aria taunted her, blowing a raspberry at Rarity. "You can't get up here!"

"Aria, maybe you shouldn't taunt the slime monster witch that managed to trap us on a mountaintop." Chrysalis said.

"What's she gonna do? She can't get up here." Aria grinned.

Rarity growled at them. She arched her head down, and a ball of purple slime vomited from and crawled out of her mouth. Droplets of pink slime dripping from her lips, Rarity threw her neck back and lifted her head up. Gagging and choking the purple slime out of her mouth, Rarity launched and fire the slime up like a cannonball, where it traveled in an arc until it landed on the mountaintop. Aria Blaze backed away from the edge, and the slime ball splashed in front of her. Rarity fired again, launching wads of slime out. The purple slime on the mountain was soon joined by a green and a red slime.

The slimes gurgled and warbled before reforming themselves, taking the shape of the slime women Rarity had grown fond of summoning.

Rarity's eyes flashed red, and a thin wisp of red smoke escaped her mouth as she activated the Alicorn Amulet, the gem of which was shining and glowing.

The three slime women on the mountain were enhanced by the Amulet's magic. They got off of their arms and legs and stood up straight, their hands solidifying and feet forming on their legs, their limbs no longer confined to the insides of their slime puddles. Rarity, and by extension the Amulet's magic, went further in upgrading them. The red one formed a spear and a circular shield from the slime in her hands, the green one grew massive, meter-long blades from its knuckles, and the blue one formed a harpoon in one arm and a morning star in the other. The three slime warriors stalked forward, encroaching on Aria Blaze and Chrysalis, who backed away in fear.

Twilight peeked her head out of the cave and looked up at Rarity, seeing she was preoccupied. "Come on." She gestured for the others to follow her, leading them out of the cave.

Rarity happened to glance down and notice them. She turned towards them. "And just where do you think you're going?"

"You said we could leave." Twilight Sparkle reminded Rarity, pointing a finger. "You said our friends could leave, and you wouldn't stop us."

"At no point do I recall extending that offer to Trixie Lulamoon or Adagio Dazzle!" Rarity cast her hate-filled gaze on Trixie. "Bleaugh!" Rarity spewed out another slime woman egg, which landed in front of Trixie. It hatched and took shape, grabbing Trixie by the ankle. Rarity spat another trio of slimes, one to take hold of Trixie's other ankle and two more to guard Trixie and keep Twilight or Celestia from trying to interfere and rescue Trixie. Rarity spat out more, these ones going over to capture Adagio Dazzle, securing her with ease.

Rarity growled, her mouth drooling out purple slime while she imagined what she was going to do with Trixie.

Twilight Sparkle ran across the field, circular around Rarity's tail and going unnoticed. She reached the base of the mountain and hopped on, climbing up a few feet before using a teleport spell to place herself directly on the mountain top.

"Chrysalis!" Twilight shouted. "You need to hand over Sweetie Belle!"

"No!" Chrysalis snapped. She crossed her arms and turned her head away. "I refuse!" She and Aria continued to back away from the slime warriors. Twilight held out her hand and fired a blast into the midsection of the clawed slime, keeping it at bay.

"By all rights, I should just let these things kill you, Chrysalis." Twilight said. "But I can't. I won't. Because my mother raised me better than that. Celestia raised me better. Because, despite everything you've done, and the fact you deserve whatever horrible fate Rarity has in store for you … I can't just condone the act of murder and allow you to die."

"Oh! So very noble." Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Truly, I would be dead by now if not for your tender mercies, Twilight Sparkle!"

"Yes." Twilight stomped forward, blasting the slimes back again. "You would be."

"Well, pardon me! What would I ever do without your _nobility_, Twilight?"

"Chrysalis, quit being so _stubborn!__" _

"Chrysalis!" Adagio Dazzle shouted from below the mountaintop, struggling and wrestling with a pair of slime woman as they attempted to drag Adagio Dazzle inside of their gooey bodies. "Listen to her, Chrysalis! You're the only one who can stop this! Please! I'm begging you!" Adagio teared up, droplets sliding down her cheeks. "Do it for me … please? How much do I really mean to you?"

Chrysalis appeared puzzled by Adagio's pleas and took a step back.

"If what we had was worth anything, you'll do it!" Adagio shouted. The slime began to crawl up her arm and submerge her shoulders.

"Chrysalis." Aria spoke. "You know there's no love lost between me and Adagio, or between me and you, for that matter, but what Adagio is saying … she kinda has a point. You are the only one who can stop this. None of us know where you told those Changelings to go take Sweetie Belle. If you don't stop it here and now, then …" Aria's eyes widened as she realized something she nor anyone else hadn't considered as a definite possibility before." Rarity will probably be stricken by grief at the loss of her sister, and … she'll go on a rampage which won't stop until she's destroyed all of Equestria, at least, and she might even go as far as the lands beyond. I want to take over Equestria too, like you do, but I still want something left to, you know, actually _rule_ over!"

Twilight placed a hand over her mouth in horror. "Sweet Celestia … you know what, Aria? You're probably right. You are absolutely, positively right. I … hadn't even considered that much." Twilight shook her head. She lifted her arm over her shoulder, blasting the armed slimes away again off-hand, almost on reflex.

"I …" Chrysalis gritted her teeth. In the face of everyone turning her against and overwhelming odds, she relented, stomping her foot. "Fine. Changelings! Your Queen has need of you!"

A pair of Changelings buzzed on over the side of the mountain, flying up to their queen.

Chrysalis began to instruct them. "Go and -"

"Aroooagwaaah!"

Rarity, having not born witness to the conversation Chrysalis and Twilight had been having, launched up her tendril over the mountaintop, able to slim it down and stretched it out until it arced over the cliff face, where it pounded the Changelings out of the way and took hold of Chrysalis, pinning her to the ground and wrapping around her.

"Uh-oh." Chrysalis remarked.

"Uh-oh." Twilight agreed.

The tendril lifted Chrysalis up and brought her down to Rarity, whose mouth was now covered in slime, forming a mouth guard. As she pulled Chrysalis toward her, Rarity screamed out whale song, of all things, until she and the Changeling Queen were face-to-face.

Rarity slammed Chrysalis against the side of the mountain, throwing her back against the mountain wall. When Rarity next spoke, her voice was garbled and distorted.

"Wheeeere … iiiis … ssssheeeeee?"

Rarity lifted Chrysalis and threw her against the wall, repeating this process, beating Chrysalis while she demanded the whereabouts of her sister.

"Where? Where? _Where?_"

* * *

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo made their way through a forest, sneaking by and using the trees as cover, trying to get to where the action was happening without being discovered and found out before they were ready.

"Are we _sure_ this is a good plan, Apple Bloom? Are we even going the right way?" Scootaloo asked.

"Look, Blueberry Bite said she saw Twilight and the gang go this way." Apple Bloom said. "So I'm hedging my bets that this way will lead us to the bad guys, and what better way to try to find Sweetie Belle than to get it out of the bad guys who nabbed her in the first place?"

"I'm not disagreeing with your logic." Scootaloo said. "But it's one thing for you to team up with Applejack and take out one Siren or whatever she was. It's another for you and me to take on a Changeling Queen by ourselves and whatever help she might have with her!"

"Quiet!" Apple Bloom held a hand out. "I think I hear somethin' …"

Looking around, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo found two Changelings flying through the forest, carrying Sweetie Belle by the arms, her head and legs wobbling and dangling back and forth like a ragdoll, her body limp and lifeless.

"There's Sweetie Belle!"

"Yeah, I noticed." Scootaloo said. "What are we gonna do about it?"

Apple Bloom paused. "How good are your wings?"

Scootaloo turned and flexed her wings. "Better than they used to be when I was young, that's for sure."

"Perfect." Apple Bloom rubbed her hands together. "Give me a boost, will ya?"

Scootaloo got underneath Apple Bloom, lifting Apple Bloom up by the feet. Apple Bloom grabbed onto the tree and began to climb up. "I'll take one, and you take one."

"Is that such a good idea?"

"Do you want to save Sweetie Belle or not?"

Scootaloo sighed. "Yes."

"Then quit your belly-achin' and go with my plan!"

The Changelings flew forward on their path, intending to take Sweetie Belle to a hive and cover her up with goo, per their Queen's instructions. They stopped, hearing a rustle in the tree branches overhead. They saw nothing and so shrugged it off, going on their way.

"Yaaaaah!" Apple Bloom dropped down from the branch, grabbing one of the Changelings and taking it to the ground with her. The other Changeling scrambled to react, trying not to let Sweetie Belle out of its grip as she dropped down without the other Changeling holding it up. Now having to try and carry her entire weight by just the one arm, the Changeling wrapped both its hands around Sweetie Belle's arm.

Scootaloo came flying and roaring out from the bushes, tackling the Changeling and knocking it off, where Sweetie Belle dropped to the ground with a thud, laying out flat. Thankfully, the Changelings had been flying low enough the fall was too short to do any serious damage, and what pain Sweetie Belle would have felt, the spell on her made her numb to.

Apple Bloom sat on top of the Changeling and pummeled its face, alternating between punching it from the left and the right, until it submitted and passed out.

Scootaloo was not having as much luck or success with her Changeling, barely able to grab it by the neck and keep it pinned. It wrapped its claws around her wrists and tried to pry her hands, hissing and snapping its jaw at her.

"Aah!" Scootaloo groaned, rocking to and fro as the Changeling struggled beneath her. "I wish Rainbow Dash had taught me more on how to fight!"

"Use your wings!" Apple Bloom shouted.

"What?"

"Use your wings! Smack it, swat it, I don't know, just do something! You have extra limbs - use 'em!"

Scootaloo flared her wings up, examining them and wondering how she could make use of them. Getting an idea, she reached her wings over her shoulders and pressed them down on the Changeling's face, covering its eyes and mouth.

"Now I really wish Rainbow had taught me more on how to use my wings! Guahh!" Scootaloo cried out when the Changeling was able to escape her stranglehold and sit upright, reaching its claws at her neck. Only her wings pushing back on its face kept the Changeling from connecting its claws from their target of Scootaloo's throat.

While Scootaloo and the Changeling grappled with each other, Apple Bloom snuck by and got around them. Rearing her hand up, she gave the Changeling a well-placed strike to the back of its neck with the side of her hand, knocking it out. The Changeling fell back.

"Whoo." Scootaloo sighed and wiped her forehead. "Thanks for the save."

"No problem. Don't mention it." Apple Bloom. She turned her attention on Sweetie Belle. "Now we just got to find Rarity and let her know we got Sweetie Belle back …"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo rushed towards Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom placed her hand on Sweetie Belle's neck and rocked her. "Sweetie Belle? Sweetie Belle, it's Apple Bloom. We're gonna take you back to Rarity now, okay?" Sweetie Belle didn't respond.

"What's wrong with her?" Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom grunted and heaved, lifting Sweetie Belle and propping her up. She saw Sweetie Belle's eyes were giving off a green glow.

"She's under some kind of spell." Apple Bloom waved her hand in front of Sweetie Belle, trying to get her attention. Scootaloo gave it a try, putting her hand in front of Sweetie Belle's face and snapping her fingers.

"Aah, we don't have time for this right now." Apple Bloom dragged Sweetie Belle up to her feet, holding her by the hand. "We'll find Rarity, and then we'll take her to Twilight so she can figure it out. Come on, Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom told her.

Scootaloo took Sweetie Belle's other hand, and the two of them walked her along.

"Mm-hmm …" Sweetie Belle nodded, responding to Apple Bloom's instructions and giving her just the barest minimum of a reply.

* * *

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo made their way out of the forest, dragging Sweetie Belle the entire way. They arrived at the mountain where the action was happening and let go of Sweetie's hands in shock, gasping at what they saw. Rarity, covered in slime, mutated into an enormous monster worthy of disaster movie, slamming the Changeling Queen against the mountain, beating her until she was broken and bloody, with blood running down Chrysalis' forehead and shoulders, the arm of the shoulder Rarity had stabbed earlier painted entirely green with Changeling blood.

"Whoa now! What's going on here? Is that … Rarity?" Apple Bloom asked, holding a hand over her eyes and squinting to be sure she was seeing what she thought she was.

"Whoa." Scootaloo repeated Apple Bloom's expression. She grabbed Sweetie Belle by the shoulders and shook her. "Okay, Sweetie Belle, I know things haven't exactly been the easiest between the two of us lately, but it would mean a lot to me if you would me a big favor and _wake up right now._"

Twilight looked down from the side of the mountain. She saw Sweetie Belle with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and gasped. She pointed at Sweetie Belle.

"Look! Chrysalis! Sweetie Belle is right there! Cure her and take your spell off her right now!"

"Are you nuts?" Chrysalis replied, indignant. "I tried to cooperate and play nice with you once already, and look where it got me!" She gestured to Rarity's tendril. "Forget it!" She'd cross her arms again if she had the freedom of movement to do so.

"Where? Where?" Rarity repeated, continuing to pound Chrysalis into the mountain, knocking off loose rocks and pebbles from the mountain's ledges.

Hearing Rarity's voice, Sweetie Belle began to stir. She blinked. "Rarity …?"

Scootaloo grimaced and shivered. "You're gonna have to do better than that, Sweetie! Seriously, wake up right now!" Pulling a desperate maneuver, Scootaloo grabbed Sweetie Belle and pulled her into a kiss, locking their lips together. Sweetie Belle's eyes widened, and the green glow popped and faded away from them.

Rarity banged Chrysalis against the mountain two more times. She coiled her tendril around Chrysalis tighter, and wrapped it further up her body, where she began to coil it around Chrysalis' neck, applying pressure.

"Laasst … chaaance." Rarity groaned out, pulling at Chrysalis' neck slightly, ready to pull harder and snap her neck at the slightest provocation if she didn't like the answer Chrysalis gave her. "Wheeere ... is she?" Rarity curled the tendril tighter and tighter, beginning to crush Chrysalis' body. Her arms and legs were going to be broken beyond repair, if not popped off entirely, before Rarity broke her neck.

"RARITY!"

Rarity's eyes went wide, losing all trace of the hate and malice they had in them up til now. "Sweetie Belle?" The mouthguard melted off, and Rarity's voice became clear. She turned and saw Sweetie Belle standing some distance away, smiling nervously and reaching her arms out at her. "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity dropped Chrysalis, letting her fall to the ground and slithered over to Sweetie Belle's position, standing a few feet away from her to avoid accidentally sucking Sweetie Belle up in the slime's mass.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle, I'm so glad to see you!"

"I know." Sweetie Belle smiled and nodded. "I know. I'm glad to see you, too."

"Are you alright?" Rarity asked. "Are you unhurt?"

"I'm alright." Sweetie Belle answered. "Scootaloo and Apple Bloom saved me. I'm not hurt. I'm safe now. Your little sister is safe now, okay? I'm safe. And you did good, big sis, and I know you never stopped looking for me … you did everything you could to save me and protect me, that everything you did, you did for me. But I'm safe, and you need to stop now, okay?"

Rarity cried, tears - genuine tears, ones made or born of slime - trailed down her cheeks. She nodded. "Okay."

"So, um." Aria Blaze leaned over the edge with Twilight. "Is this like the part in a horror movie where she tries to stop, but can't?"

"All I wanted … all I ever cared about … was getting you back safe, Sweetie Belle." Rarity sniffed, her tears fogging and murking up her version.

Rarity slithered and scooted towards Sweetie Belle. Proving Aria immensely wrong, Rarity willed the slime away. The slime dispersed off, exploding into billions and billions of droplets, all of varying colors and size, which scattered all over the battlefield. The slime women, the armed slimes on the mountaintop, the ones holding down Adagio Dazzle and Trixie, all of them, popped and exploded in the same way, losing their cohesion and leaving behind colored puddles. Rarity, back to normal, ran towards Sweetie Belle, taking the Alicorn Amulet off and throwing it aside.

Rarity embraced her little sister in a hug, wrapping her arms around Sweetie Belle's back. Sweetie Belle returned the hug, smiling. Rarity sniffed, her face still wet.

"Rarity? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not - I'm not crying." Rarity insisted, sniffing. "These are tears of joy, Sweetie Belle."

"Okay. Well, knock it off, alright? You're getting my eyes all wet." Sweetie Belle rubbed at her eyes to remove the joyful tears coming from them.

Chrysalis staggered to her feet, stumbling and struggling to stand. She clutched at her arm. "Ooh … I think she broke something …" Chrysalis lost her footing and almost fell back down, but she was able to recover nicely. "Several somethings, actually …" Chrysalis rubbed at her stomach while her cheeks turned green. She imagined she was going to throw up. Her eyes fell on the discarded Alicorn Amulet.

Chrysalis staggered towards the Amulet. She broke into a run for it, going as fast she could with her limping, injured legs, and made a dive towards the ground, reaching for the Amulet.

"I don't think so!"

Rarity cast her hand out. The Amulet was enveloped with a blue glow and was slid away, snatching it out of Chrysalis' reach. Rarity levitated the Amulet over to herself, taking it into her hand.

"Hmph." Rarity said. "Apple Bloom, take this back to Zecora, would you? Tell her I'm sorry about taking it … and for the mess I made out of her hut."

Rarity dropped the Amulet into Apple Bloom's hands. Apple Bloom saluted and left the area. Rarity turned her attention back to Chrysalis.

"Grr …" Chrysalis growled and got to her feet, glaring at Rarity. She smirked. "Well, you may have kept the Alicorn Amulet from me, but I can still use the slime!" Chrysalis gestured to the slime strewn all over the ground, then winced and clutched at her ribcage.

"Actually, no." Rarity scanned the area. "While some of this mess may still be your Citrus Slime, most of it is from the Pipe Slime, the Slime I summoned, that I made, and…" Rarity smiled. "Slime that doesn't have your frost protection spells."

"What does that mean?" Chrysalis demanded.

Rarity held out her hand and blew out a gust of blizzardry wind from it, freezing most of the slime droplets in the immediate vicinity, turning them into pieces of ice. Rarity levitated hundreds of shards of ice into the air and pointed them at Chrysalis. Chrysalis' face paled, realizing Rarity's intentions and what was about to happen next.

Rarity hurled the shards forward, propelling them towards Chrysalis. Chrysalis' body was struck with the shards, her midsection being impaled by the icy splinters, the shards stabbing her the front, in the back, in the chest, in her arms, and in her legs. She was beginning to resemble a porcupine. Rarity flashed a smirk, deriving a perverse sense of satisfied pleasure at seeing Chrysalis impaled with so many tiny, icy daggers.

"Rarity, stop!" Adagio Dazzle pleaded, throwing herself in front of Chrysalis and standing between the way of Chrysalis and more ice shards. "Please … just stop."

Rarity, coldly, cruelly, uncaringly, continued flinging the ice shards, embedding them into Adagio's stomach, not bothered by the change in her target from Chrysalis to Adagio at all.

A hand wrapped around Rarity's wrist, catching her attention.

"Rarity." Sweetie Belle pulled Rarity's hand away and wrapped both her hands around Rarity's wrist. "Please. Stop."

Rarity closed her eyes. She bowed her head. "I … I'm sorry. Of course." Rarity raised and twirled her hand around, causing the ice shards to pull out of Adagio and Chrysalis and drop to the ground, where they shattered into pieces.

Aria Blaze spread her wings and flew down the mountain, joining Chrysalis and Adagio, who were themselves soon joined by Honeycomb and Trixie.

Celestia and the others came forward, joining the gathering.

"I have an announcement to make." Celestia addressed them. "Chrysalis, Aria Blaze, Adagio Dazzle, Honeycomb, and Trixie Lulamoon will be imprisoned for their crimes. In return for her help, and because I can see in her that she wants to make penance for her part in this, Sonata Dusk will be pardoned. The same applies for Sunset Shimmer. If anyone has any objections, speak up now, or hold your peace."

Chrysalis, Aria, and Honeycomb all looked away. Adagio gritted her teeth, while Trixie stared at the ground.

Aria huffed. "Why aren't we fighting back?" She took another look at her fellow criminals. Chrysalis was covered in blood, bleeding, and had more holes poked in her than Swiss cheese. Adagio wasn't much better, covering her stomach and keeping pressure on the wounds Rarity's cluster of ice had lodged in her. Trixie was simply stunned, and Honeycomb kept glancing at Rarity.

Aria understood. There was still ice everywhere. Chrysalis had lost her main advantage of the Citrus Slime, and Celestia was free from it. After witnessing what she was capable of when pushed, Aria Blaze wouldn't want to risk taunting Rarity's wrath again either. If any of them tried to fight back, Aria doubted Sweetie Belle could plead enough to keep Rarity from shredding them apart with blades of ice. Besides, they were in a bad position. With Twilight, Rarity, Celestia, Sunset and Cadence on all sides of them, any attempts at resistance would be quickly met with focused, concentrated magical blasts from all directions. They'd be lucky to so much as simply survive so much magical power combined without being scathed.

Seeing there was nothing any of them could do, Aria Blaze sighed. "Fine … whatever." She crossed her arms, sulking like an angsty teenager.

"We'll have Zecora whip another antidote for your transformation." Celestia told Aria. "We definitely we don't need you to have any more power than you have in your base form when we have you locked up. I'll also tasks my researchers to see if there's some way to banish Honeycomb back where she came from."

"And we'll need to figure out a way to gather up all this slime and safely dispose of it." Cadence said.

"Wait." Adagio Dazzle raised up a hand. "Before you decide on anything …" She walked towards Celestia and got down on her knees, putting her hands together. "Whatever you do, please, please don't take Chrysalis from me. Don't us be apart. Lock us up together. I love her. And she loves me ..."

Adagio turned her head to Chrysalis, her eyes wavering. "Doesn't she?"

"I … um. Oh. Well." Chrysalis felt awkward, having not expected this. "I'm sorry, Adagio Dazzle, but after seeing that display, I can say that your love for me runs far deeper than my surface-level attraction to you and your body."

Adagio closed her eyes. She hung her head.

"Wow." Rainbow Dash remarked. "I almost feel bad for her. Almost."

Rainbow Dash walked up towards Adagio Dazzle and kicked her in the chest, knocking her down, to Celestia's and Twilight's shock.

"_That's_ for kidnapping my fiance, you_ tart!_" Rainbow Dash snapped. She walked away and was surprised by the disapproving looks she was being given from almost everyone, bar Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Sunset.

"What?" Rainbow Dash shrugged. "I said 'almost,' didn't I?"

"Rainbow Dash … that was cruel of you." Twilight said.

"Needlessly cruel." Celestia added.

"Well." Rarity went up to Rainbow Dash and took her by the hands. "I, for one, appreciate having a fiance who is willing to defend my honor and act out retribution against those who would harm me on my behalf." Rarity gave Rainbow Dash a kiss, making Rainbow smile.

Rainbow rested her chin on Rarity's shoulder. "I don't care what anybody else thinks … as long as it makes you happy."

Celestia and Twilight cooed. They couldn't deny this was rather sweet of Rainbow.

Sweetie Belle rubbed her shoulder and turned to Scootaloo. "Hey, Scootaloo? I … I know after everything that's happened, there's no chance of there being a relationship between us. Not a healthy one, anyway. I think Rarity might have been right … maybe I was just imprinting on her. But … could I have just one kiss?"

Scootaloo crossed her arms. "I already gave you to snap out of Chrysalis' spell, remember?"

A hand clasped Scootaloo's shoulder. She turned to see Rarity smiling at her.

"Please, Scootaloo?" Rarity asked. "Just as a pittance?"

Scootaloo sighed. "Fine. Alright. Okay …" Scootaloo took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Sweetie Belle wrapped her arms around Scootaloo and pulled her close, embracing their lips together. Sweetie Belle began to moan, rocking her body to and fro, bringing Scootaloo into a dance.

Scootaloo, feeling Sweetie Belle was going out of bounds of the original agreement, pushed her way. "Alright, that's enough of that. One kiss, remember? I don't remember agreeing to any dancing."

Sweetie Belle nodded.

Rarity chuckled. "Feel better, Sweetie?"

"Yeah."

The three of them turned their attention back to the villains. Shining Armor put Trixie and Aria Blaze in handcuffs, while Cadence and Twilight conjured cuffs of crystal to put on Adagio, Chrysalis, and Honeycomb to make up for the fact Shining hadn't brought enough sets for all five of them. Plus, this way, it allowed Cadence and Twilight to enchant the restraints with anti-magic spells to discourage any funny business from Chrysalis or her pals. They were rounded up, put into a single file line, and Shining Armor walked them away.

* * *

While Twilight aided Shining Armor and the Princesses in finding a safe place to lock the criminals up, the rest of them returned to Ponyville. Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle waved goodbye to Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and headed home to Carousel Boutique.

"Ah." Rarity exhaled in relief, flicking the light on as she entered the building. Sweetie Belle bid them goodnight before heading straight to bed. "It's so nice to be home again, and not have anything to worry about. No fears of kidnapping, no slimes crawling in the windows …"

"No psyche evaluations or mental assessments by legal inspectors who don't know what they're talking about." Rainbow Dash spoke with some contempt as she wrapped her arms around Rarity from behind. "No ignorant, incompetent cops caught up on a single target … no court orders that do more harm than good."

"Yes." Rarity took Dash's hands off her and twirled Dash around as if preparing for a tango. "The worst is certainly behind us now, isn't it? Most, if not all our problems ..." Rarity threw Dash across her arm and held her by her back. "Dealt with, disappeared, or locked up."

Rarity let go of Rainbow Dash, and Dash stood upright. They made their way to their bedroom and changed into night clothing, putting on sleeping gowns. Rarity made her way under the blanket while Rainbow Dash sat on the side of the bed and let out a yawn, stretching her arms and covering her mouth.

Rarity's eyes widened, and she bolted upright. "Oh my! Rainbow Dash, darling, do you know what this means?"

"We can go to bed and get some sleep?" Rainbow Dash asked dryly, wanting to go to bed.

Rarity took Rainbow Dash's hands. "It means everything is less complicated now. It means Chrysalis and all her goons are gone. It means we have nothing to fear. It means …"

Rainbow's mouth dropped slightly, realizing the implications of what Rarity was saying. "You don't mean …"

"Yes, Rainbow Dash, my love. It means we can get married. Oh!" Rarity threw her legs off the side of the bed and jumped off.

"Where are you going?" Dash asked.

"To start writing and sending out invitations." Rarity said. "We're going to have to get a lot of work done in very little time if we want everything to be ready by tomorrow!"

"T-t-tomorrow?" Rainbow Dash made an expression of fear and bewilderment. "You want to do it tomorrow?"

"Why not? It's not like we have anything to fear."

"Rarity, I'm all for doing it as soon as possible, but there is no way we can't get everything ready in time for tomorrow!"

"Oh, pish-posh, Rainbow Dash. It can be done. We just have to be willing to put in the work for it. I'll get Pinkie Pie to start the cake. We all know she'd love an excuse to stay up all night. How are your parents? How far would they have to travel to get to Ponyville?"

Rainbow Dash grumbled before cooperating and answering Rarity. "Pretty far."

"I'll make sure to send them their invites in the first batch, then." Rarity said. "Why don't you stay in bed? You're going to need to plenty of rest for our big day tomorrow."

Rainbow Dash sighed. She brought a hand over her forehead. "I can't believe I'm doing this …" Rainbow Dash got up. "No. If you're gonna insist on doing this …"

"And I am."

"Then you might as well have all the help you can get." Dash pointed a finger at Rarity. "But don't be surprised if I have bags under my eyes are on our wedding day. No complaining, got it?"

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, I would never allow that!" Rarity put a hand over her chest. "You know I would find some kind of makeup to cover that up for you."

Rainbow Dash groaned and rolled her eyes. "What do you need me to do?"

"Well, first, use your speed to get these to your parents." Rarity handed Rainbow Dash a handful of envelopes.

"You have this many done already?" Rainbow Dash was puzzled and surprised Rarity had gotten so much work done while they were still talking.

"Yes, yes! I design custom clothes for a living, Rainbow Dash, I know how to get a lot of work done in little time for a tight deadline! Now, hurry, hurry!" Rarity shooed Rainbow Dash out the bedroom window, where Rainbow Dash took flight and raced away, disappearing as a rainbow bolt streaking across the night sky.

Rarity smiled, watching her go. She turned her attention back to the task at hand of doing up more invitations and getting them to the rest of their Ponyville friends.

The next day, all the people were gathered at a artificial aisle, quickly built up outdoors. White sheets were thrown over the ground, a red carpet was rolled out, and decorations were placed on a gazebo to pretty it up and make it a building worthy of hosting a wedding. Passing Ponyville citizens who hadn't been invited stopped to stare at the set-up before either moving on, or sitting down on the grass at a distance which let them view the affairs, but still respected the couple's privacy in their decision not to invite them.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity's friends and family stood just outside the gazebo. Twilight kept glancing nervously as Pinkie Pie continued to adjust the wobbling cake, trying to keep it from falling over and collapsing the supports she had used to make the cake multi-layered. Shining Armor stood tall next to his sister in his full uniform, though feeling a bit awkward, given who was getting married.

Celestia stood inside the gazebo, a great big smile on her face she hunched over a podium. Her eyes fell on Rarity and Rainbow Dash as they walked down the red carpet in outfits Rarity designed and sewed together, Rarity in an elaborate wedding dress worthy of an empress, and Dash in a plainer (by her request) dress with pink trim which forewent the crown-like headdress and long train of Rarity's, which exposed her shoulders and her thighs between her skirt and her leggings - Rarity had drawn on a sports outfit for inspiration.

Pinkie Pie and leaned over and whispered to Twilight. "Does anyone else think Dash's dress makes her look like she should be part of the wedding cake?"

"Pinkie, don't be rude and don't … be Pinkie." Twilight said. "Rarity designed that dress especially for Rainbow Dash … and she did it less than eight hours, so it may not be her best work. Uh, don't tell her I said that, or she'll kill me."

"Can do." Pinkie saluted and winked.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash walked up the steps, the band playing music. They stood in front of Celestia and smiled. When Celestia spoke, the band stopped playing.

"We gathered here today to witness a holy union. A union between lovers, and a love as strong and durable as any other you'd care to name. Today, two lovers decide to take their love out of the shadows. They hid it away for so long, as their relationship had … well, let's say a rocky beginning and leave it at that." Rarity and Dash both blushed. "They feared being ousted and ostracized from their social circles if they came out with their love for each other, but I myself have seen, and I have witnesses who can attest to the strength of their bond. And now, the vows."

"Rainbow Dash." Celestia turned to Rainbow. "Do you agree to look after Rarity, in sickness and in health, under any kind of weather, fair or unfair, and take her as your lawfully wedded wife, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Rarity." Celestia turned to her.

"Get on with it."

Celestia chuckled and nodded. "I know what the answer is, Rarity, but custom dictates I ask anyway. Do you agree to look after Rainbow Dash, in sickness and in health, under any kind of weather, fair or unfair, and take her as your lawfully wedded wife, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Excellent." Celestia said. "Now, pending any last-minute objection, cough, _speak-now-or-forever-hold-your-blah-blah-blah_ …" Celestia swept her gaze across the crowd. "You may kiss the bride."

Rainbow Dash turned to Rarity. She lifted the veil off Rarity's face. Rarity took the initiative from her, pulling Rainbow Dash towards her and embracing her with a kiss. Rainbow Dash moaned, and her hand made its way up to Rarity's chest, gently cupping the underside of her breast.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity blushed and pushed Rainbow Dash away. "Not in front of Sweetie Belle!"

The crowd laughed. Rainbow Dash gave an unapologetic smile.

"Evidently it being front of Sweetie Belle is more of a concern than any of the guests." Shining Armor whispered to Twilight.

"Or in front of Princess Celestia." Twilight chimed back, grinning.

The party went into the after-wedding festivities. Pinkie Pie cut open the cake and the band resumed playing, cranking out background noise. Most of Rarity's friends congregated around the table serving refreshments, each of them with punch in their hands.

"Oh, no." Twilight noticed Pinkie Pie hauling out a large firework. "I'd better go stop her." She went to exactly that.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash giggled at Pinkie's antics. They were both hushed when Silver Lens appeared before them, holding her clipboard to her chest as if were a teddy bear, and she were a child looking for protection from her stuffed animal.

Rarity set her cup of punch down on the table and walked towards Silver Lens.

"You're an adult, Silver Lens. Speak your mind. Say what you came to say."

"Rarity, I …" Silver Lens adjusted her glasses. "I'm so sorry about everything that's happened. I … should have known, I should have done my job better. I should have realized that I wasn't... that Shining Armor and Harshwhinny wasn't interested in respecting your privacy or actually trying to help you. I should have said something, I should have done something. And I didn't, and I … I let Harshwhinny use me as a tool and a pawn. I'm sorry, and I hope you can find it in your heart to-"

Rarity lunged forward and pulled Silver Lens into a hug.

"Rarity, what's the meaning of this…?"

"I forgive you." Rarity spoke into Silver Lens' ear. "They say the first step towards healing is forgiving others. Well … I like to think I've moved well beyond the first step, and that I've healed, but I refuse to stew and linger in resentment of anybody any longer, and that means that, yes, I forgive you, Silver Lens."

Rarity parted from her, taking hold of Silver Lens' hands. "I understand, at least now, that you, in your own way, were just trying to help. It's not your fault others took advantage of you. But I hope you've learned something from this endeavor, and that in the future, you will raise your voice and speak up when someone is doing something that you think is wrong. Promise me that, and we'll call it even, okay?"

Silver Lens stuttered. "Okay. I promise … Rarity."

"The fact that you were willing to admit what you did was wrong and apologize for it means a substantial amount to me. Unlike some others …" Rarity turned and glanced at the gazebo, where Harshwhinny was sitting next to Celestia. "What is she even doing here? I don't remember inviting her …"

"Come on." Rainbow Dash led Rarity away. "She's not worth thinking about."

"Oh!" Rarity turned back around. "One more thing, Silver Lens. During one of our sessions, you said you saw shards when you looked at me. I'm curious. What do you see when you look at me now?"

"Now?" Silver Lens looked down and smiled. "I see a beautiful, healthy bride who is going to make an excellent wife and make _someone_ very happy."

Rarity grinned and chuckled, as did as Rainbow Dash. "That's a satisfactory answer. Alright, Rainbow Dash." Rarity raised her arm out. "Take me away."

"With pleasure, mi'lady."

Silver Lens remained by the punch table. She was startled and let out a yelp when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey." Cadence said. "I heard what you said back there."

"Y-you did?" Silver Lens asked. "Do you-do you think that was good enough? Should I apologize more?"

"Were you honest? Did you speak from your heart?"

"Well, yes, but …"

Cadence grabbed Silver Lens' hand. "Then trust me. What you said was good enough. It's just like Rarity said. The fact that you were willing to admit you did wrong and apologize in of itself really means a lot. That signifies a lot about your character, about who you are ... "

Cadence patted Silver Lens on the shoulder. "You did good work, Silver Lens. I commend your performance. Even if there a few bumpy spots on the road. I'll be sure to look to you, whenever I might should be in need a therapist do something for me again." Cadence trailed her hand away and walked off.

"Oh. Um ... well." Silver Lens' bumped her knees together. "I … don't really feel like I deserve it, but thank you, Princess Cadence."

"Hey." Cadence snapped her fingers. "Rarity got better in the end, right? That's all I asked for. All I wanted from you."

Silver Lens blushed. She bowed. "Thank you again, Princess Cadence."

"Don't mention it."

Up in the gazebo, Harshwhinny surveyed the wedding-goers, feeling repulsed by their frivolity and casualness.

"Look at all of them." Harshwhinny crossed her arms and groused. "I wish all of them would stop being so … frivolously and jolly. Don't they realize a wedding is supposed to be a formal affair? Talk formally! Respect your distance. Quit enjoying yourselves in the wrong manner inappropriate for a wedding!"

"Is that right?" Celestia asked, leaning back against the gazebo wall.

"Yes, that's right. That is not proper formal etiquette and behavior." Harshwhinny glared at a trio of friends who were enjoying themselves and having a good time.

"You get to decide what is and is not appropriate at weddings, I take it, Harshwhinny?"

Realizing the implications of what Celestia was asking, Harshwhinny blushed. "Er, no, I … never meant to imply that, Your Majesty."

"You also get to decide who's fit to have weddings, and whether or not someone is fit to host a young adult in their house, or whether someone is mentally safe and sound to take care of others in their house or needs to be hospitalized for mental illness and have their siblings taken away from them, especially while that sibling is missing, possibly kidnapped, with no say in the matter. Isn't that right, Harshwhinny?"

"Well, I …" Harshwhinny stuttered, putting a hand to her mouth, at a loss for words.

"I brought you along as my guest to this wedding as a sparing. Something for you have to a good time at so as to soften the blow. Inspector, you seem to have developed an overreach of where exactly your responsibilities lie. You not a legal inspector, or a mental health inspector, for that matter. Your responsibilities are to make sure events are being hosted properly, with proper safety measures, the correct decorations, and accommodations are in place. Events, Inspector. Not people."

Celestia turned her gaze to the crowd.

"I'll expect your resignation shortly."

Harshwhinny hung her head, bringing her hands together on her lap. "I understand."

* * *

"Well." Rainbow Dash grabbed Rarity and tilted her over, lifting her up bridal-style, causing Rarity to yelp. "I don't know about you, but I think it's time we head home and … consummate our union."

"My, my." Rarity fluttered her lashes. "Between the incident at the gazebo and this, someone's feeling eager today, aren't they?"

"What can I say?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You put me in the mood."

"Without even doing anything? Goodness, I must be much more attractive than I initially realized."

"Well, we won't stop you!" Pinkie Pie tipped her hat to them. She rubbed her chin, pondering ideas. "Or will we?"

Rainbow Dash snorted like a bull. She and Rarity gave Pinkie Pie a death glare. "No. You won't."

Pinkie got the message and backed away, holding her hands up in the air.

Rainbow Dash carried Rarity to their house, holding her in the bridal fashion the entire time on their way.

"Someone's been working on their strength and stamina, I see." Rarity observed as they reached the house. She raised and pinched Rainbow Dash's cheek. "Do _try_ and _save_ some of them for when we get to the bed, will you?"

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises." Rainbow Dash replied with a smug smile. Rarity rolled her eyes, even if she was wearing the same facial expression, and Rainbow Dash set Rarity on her feet.

Rarity opened the door and went inside. Any and all thoughts of lovemaking and carnal acts were pushed from her mind as she noticed a piece of paper on the floor. "What's this?" Rarity walked towards the paper and picked it up.

"Looks like a letter." Rainbow Dash said, looking over Rarity's shoulder. "Whoever put it there probably put in front of the door to make sure we would notice."

"It … it's from Coco Pommel." Rarity said, moving the letter over to where Dash could read it.

_Dear Rarity &amp; Rainbow Dash,_

_Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I appreciate every last little thing. You didn't have to take me away from Suri - again. But you did. You didn't have to invite me and let me stay at your house, but you did. And you definitely didn't have to invite me to share in with your's and Rainbow Dash's … activities. But you did._

_As you know, I've been working on my dresses. I started showing them around, and I got a job offer from Sapphire Shores to work on the play she's doing in Manehatten. It seems like no matter where I go, all my roads eventually lead back to Manehatten, huh? I took the job. Got a nice office in a nice space down from the train station. I'm going to work and work and work my Cutie Mark off to make Sapphire Shores happy … and make you proud of me._

_Once again, I appreciate everything you've done for me … and I appreciate all the kinky things you taught me. I can't wait to try them out._

_-Coco Pommel._

The letter was signed with a winking face and a heart next to it.

"Huh." Dash said. "So Coco flew the coop, huh? Struck on her own … left the nest ..."

"Yes, it would appear that way." Rarity said.

"Heh." Dash wiped a slight tear from her eye. "You know, she might not have done a whole lot around the house, but I'm kind of gonna miss her. They grow up so fast, don't they?"

"We can always visit her in Manehatten, darling." Rarity said.

"Hey …" Rainbow Dash looked around the house. "Speaking of growing up fast, where's Diamond Tiara?"

"Diamond Tiara? I think she went back home."

"Really?"

"Yes. I think she told me something about having 'resolved the issue' while we were at the wedding ..."

* * *

At the Rich household, Suri ran her hand over her hair, trying to make sure her ponytail was straight. She put her earrings and grabbed her suitcase.

"Bye, Filthy! Bye, Diamond Tiara!" Suri called from the front of the house. "I'm off to the train station for my commute to my first day at my new job!"

"Bye." Filthy Rich went up to Suri and embraced Suri, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Remember our agreement."

"I know, I know. I can live here, but I have to work so I can't just mooch off your money. Did I get that right? You've only told me 120 times." Filthy Rich regarded her sheepishly. "I counted."

Suri looked at Diamond. Diamond Tiara sat on the couch in the living room, crossing her arms and being surly. She puffed out a sigh.

"Bye … " Diamond Tiara's face contorted, as if she was literally have to choke the word out of her throat and it was causing her physical pain. "Mom." This grueling task of obligation done, Diamond Tiara got up and went to her room.

Suri gasped and covered her mouth. "D-did you hear that?" Suri placed a hand on her chest, a tear coming from her eye. "She called me mom …"

"Yes, I heard it." Filthy Rich said, smiling. "See? You're making progress."

"I … I've never felt like this before." Suri wiped a tear from her eye. "What … what is this feeling? It is love? Pride? Joy? A sense of accomplishment at the fact she one day might be happy to see me for a change?"

"You'll have plenty of time to figure it out later." Filthy kissed Suri on the head. "Now go. Go, go on, or you'll be late for work for your first day." Filthy ushered Suri towards the entrance and Suri dashed out the door, sprinting towards the station. Suri waved goodbye to the house.

"Goodbye … my beautiful daughter."

Suri smiled to herself, a spring in her step as she headed to the station.

* * *

Coco Pommel spun around in the swivel-mounted chair of her new office and looked out the window. Sapphire Shores gave her an office on one of the higher floors, giving her a nice view of the Manehattan streets from her office window, where the people traveled back and forth. Dressed in a pinstripe business suit, with a spinning leather chair, Coco Pommel felt like a bigwig. A real billionaire fatcat.

"Oh." Coco's attention was drawn by the squeak of her office door opening. She spun her chair to face it. "Can I help you?"

"Your new assistant, reporting for duty, Miss …"

Suri's voice trailed off. Her hand slowly inched down from the salute she was making.

She and Coco Pommel stared at each other in shock. Coco rather liked Suri's choice of dress - a black leather vest over a white shirt and a wide, black skirt, with a purple handkerchief stuffed down the shirt, topped off with a beret.

Suri blinked and tried to recall in her head. How did she not know the boss of her new job was going to be Coco Pommel?

_I remember._ Suri thought._ It's because the ad I replied to was from Sapphire Shores asking for an assistant. It didn't specify an assistant for _whom_. Well, at least Shores must have liked my resume._

They might have stood there for hours if Suri hadn't cleared her throat. Pressing and trying to to ignore the awkwardness of the situation, she resumed her salute.

"What can I do for you, boss?"

"Suri?" Coco Pommel asked. "But that's not… you can't… how?"

Suri cleared her throat. "Ahem. I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist you we focus on business. _What can I do for you, boss?_" Suri repeated, adding a bit more force and bluster to her tone.

"Oh. Um." Coco cleared her throat. She spoke in rapid fire. "Sapphire Shores' play is in six days, and we need to get everything ready. I need you to put in an express order of 50 bolts of woolen fabric, preferably yak wool, with expedited shipping. I need a two dozen pins and tacks each to start working on making the props, and I need you to find me a graphic designer to paint up a flyer -we had one, but they flaked out - and buy the papers to start printing copies of the flyer. Oh. And I've learned a lot of freaky, kinky things from Rarity during my stay at her house …"

"Yes?" Suri asked, raising an eyebrow and growing nervous, sweat beading up on the side of her head.

"So I want you to find me a pretty lady to flirt with and try them out on."

Suri sighed. _Whoo. Dodged a bullet._ "Anything else I can get for you, boss?"

"No, I don't think so. That should be it." Coco Pommel said.

Suri nodded.

"You know …" Coco rested her elbow on the desk. "It's funny … after all this time, we've switched places. The assistant has become the master."

"That is funny." Suri said. She turned to leave and start working on all the things Coco asked for.

"Oh, wait, Suri. I just remembered something. There is one more thing."

"Yes?" Suri peeked her head back in the door.

Coco smiled and pointed her finger for emphasis. "Go get me some coffee."

Suri gave an earnest smile back in reply and saluted again. "Sure thing, boss."

* * *

Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry, clad in his Royal Guard armor, stood by the fountain in the Canterlot Royal Gardens. Flash saw Sunset staring into the running water as if it was holding her life inside, bringing all her burdens to bear, all her sins remembered. In order to get a conversation going, Flash made a wry comment.

"You know, I'm supposed to be on duty right now …"

Sunset, not as spaced-out as Flash assumed her to be, chuckled and turned to him. "Hey, don't look at me. You were the one who wanted us to hang out together."

"True. So … what have you been up to?"

"Oh, well, not much." Sunset replied, hands in her pockets. "I fed myself a false narrative, started making farmers lactate cider because I'm a pervert, got myself turned into a bee-woman, then fought a Changeling Queen before running away from an Amulet-empowered slime queen monster. You know, the usual."

"That is … pretty unusual, Sunset." Flash said.

"Oh, do you have a problem with it?" Sunset asked. "Are you gonna call the Usual Police on me? The Department of Muggle Affairs, or something?"

"No, no."

Sunset moved away from the fountain. Flash and Sunset walked through the garden, Sunset never taking her hands out of her pockets.

"So … what are you gonna do now?"

"Don't know that entirely myself, if I'm honest." Sunset stopped walking. "Honestly, I'll probably just head back on home. Maybe become a magic teacher."

"Home?" Flash said. "Sunset, I thought this place was your home? You just got back here."

"I'm sorry, Flash, but I've been away from 'here' too long. Everything is different and feels so strange and bizarre and new." Sunset brought her hands over her chest. "My heart belongs elsewhere."

Flash Sentry bit his lip. "Excuse me." He left.

"Flash?" Sunset turned to him. "Flash, where are you going? … oh." Sunset saw Celestia walking down the garden path. "Hello, Princess Celestia."

"Hello, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset kicked her foot on the ground. "I guess you probably want to talk to me, huh? Especially seeing as you haven't seen me in years …"

"Not at all." Celestia shook her head. "Sunset, I'd be hard-pressed to think of anything I'd want to say to you myself that my student Twilight hasn't already said to you in some way."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. She might be a bit awkward at time, but Twilight is a prodigy at friendship. Though when it comes to magic, I think you two were evenly matched. You certainly were far more ambitious, though."

Sunset chuckled and looked at the ground before being able to bring herself to look up at Celestia with a relaxed grin."I was, wasn't I?"

Celestia waved her hand. "All of this talk is completely rudimentary and unnecessary for what it is I came to ask you. We are going to burn the summoning book that has caused all of us so much trouble and strife, the one Honeycomb and the Sirens came from. I understand the monsters inside have caused you some distress as well, despite your initial malignant intentions when you first arrived. I was wondering if you would be interested in joining us?"

Sunset stared at Celestia, unsure if she was being serious with her offer at first. She gave Celestia another small smile. "I would."

"Great."

Cadence watched from a window as Celestia wrapped an arm around Sunset Shimmer's shoulder and walked her off.

"Hmm." Cadence mused, before hearing scrubbing noises come from down the hall. "What's that?"

Cadence followed the noise to its source. The men's bathroom. Reasoning she was a Princess and could get away with it, and besides, investigating mysterious noise was a legitimate reason to intrude, she went inside.

"Shining?" Cadence asked, finding Shining Armor scrubbing the bathroom tile on his hands and knees.

"Yup, that's me."

"What are you doing here?" Cadence asked. "I thought Celestia said you had fulfilled your latrine cleaning punishment and could stop now."

"I know. I can. I …" Shining Armor turned his head. "I'm doing this to myself as punishment. Let's be real here, I was … well, I was kind of a fathead to Rarity there for a while, huh?"

Cadence rested against the door, smirking. "You were."

"So, I'm going to keep scrubbing the latrines until I've gotten rid of my guilty conscience." Shining Armor said.

"Alright." Cadence reached for the doorknob. "Suit yourself. You should probably be informed Celestia's planning on burning the book soon."

"Oh, really?" Shining Armor scrambled to his feet. "Forget this bathroom, then! I want to be there for that!"

"But what about scrubbing the latrine as your penance?" Cadance asked with a joking tone of voice.

"I'll get back to it later!" Shining Armor exclaimed as he ran out the door.

Cadence shook her head and followed after him. "Guys. I'll never understand them."

* * *

Later in the night, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie and Fluttershy gathered around a table in Twilight's house.

Twilight idly rocked a salt shaker on its side. "So … what do we want to do after our lovely couple gets off their eventual honeymoon? They've been through a lot lately, and we've … not always been there to support them through like we should have. We've been through a lot, too. I should mention that, before I get swallowed up with pity and forget it. They deserve something nice, and so do we."

Twilight set the salt shaker upright.

"I'm thinking we find a nice restaurant." Twilight said. "Take them out to dinner. Have Applejack whip up a special batch of apple cider, if she has the spare apples for it."

"I reckon I do." Applejack said.

"Regular cider, not the - you know."

"I know. Twilight, do you honestly think I would put myself through and serve something as gross as that to you and all our friends by choice?"

Twilight bit her lip. "... you're right. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

Sonata Dusk barged in on the conversation. "Hello! I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"You're not. Come on, Sonata. Sit down for a spell." Applejack gestured to an empty chair.

"That's nice of you to offer, Applejack, but I won't be staying long. I just came to ask Twilight a question."

"Sure. One of the first things you'll learn about me, Sonata, I love answering questions." Twilight swiveled on her seat towards Sonata. "So, what do you got for me?"

"What size does Spike like?" Sonata asked.

"... I'm sorry, what?"

"You know, what size does Spike like?" Sonata repeated. "I might not still be here if not for him. If not for him, I might have stayed with Adagio and Aria, and ended up in a cell just like them, probably next to them. I owe him for helping take me off that dark path, and I want to give him a little reward, and before I do that, I want to know what size he likes."

Twilight still didn't seem to get it.

"You know, size." Sonata waved her hand up and down over her chest.

Twilight's cheeks turned a shade of red which could have won 'Ripest Tomato' at a country farm.

"That is not appropriate behavior for Spike to be doing! I don't want to talk about this with you!" Twilight ducked under the table.

"Twilight, I'm pretty sure Spike is an adult. If he wants to do this with Sonata, that's his choice. It's also his choice if he doesn't." Applejack said.

Twilight stuck her finger out from under the table. "Additionally … there's the fact that I don't know. I mean, he had crush on Rarity before he really understood … that sort of thing."

"I'll assume he likes them the same way most men like them; big." Sonata pumped her fist.

"Probably not the worst idea." Applejack said. "He's an adult, but he's still young."

Sonata nodded and left.

Twilight slowly brought herself out from under the table, raising up inch by inch, stopping when she could see over the table. "Is she gone?"

"She's gone." Applejack replied.

"Hoo." Twilight sighed. "I'm glad that's over. Let's hope nothing else awkward happens for the rest of the night ..."

There was a flash of light and a hum, and Discord appeared over the table.

"Hello, everyone!" Discord stretched his arms out far beyond the limits of any normal being, scooping the four friends up into a hug. "Sorry I'm late, I was busy _un_-cleaning my house. Oh, and sorry I couldn't be there to help with that whole Changeling-slash-Slime fiasco. Truly I am." Discord let go of them and kicked back in the air, conjuring up a saucer and cup of tea. "From what I've heard, it turned out to be quite the party. I truly and earnestly do regret missing it. Seems like I might have been able to have a lot of _fun_ there!"

Twilight sighed, irritated and in no mood to put with Discord's … Discord-iness.

"Well, at least he regrets not helping, even if he does regret it for the wrong reasons … right?" Applejack asked, offering Twilight consolation.

Discord sipped the cup around his tea, then split the tea up into four cubes, turning it into coffee-flavored gelatin in the process. He began to juggle them, and dropped one on Twilight's head.

Twilight let out another sigh, annoyed. Fluttershy was amused. She put a hand to her mouth, trying to be polite and suppress her laughter. It wasn't nice to laugh at her friends.

Elsewhere in the library, Sonata Dusk dragged Spike into the guest room, throwing him inside and locking the door behind him.

"You still haven't told me what it is we're doing, Sonata …"

"That's because it's a surprise, silly!" Sonata Dusk exclaimed. "Go, get on the bed."

"Alright …" Spike remained uncertain, but did as she ask.

Sonata Dusk walked up to the side of the bed. "Now, lay down …"

"Okay."

"And close your eyes … and think about your love for me."

"Um, alright." Spike continued to do as she asked, closing his eyes.

Sonata Dusk let out a deep breath. She vocalized quietly, holding up her amulet. The amulet glowed, and a green mist escaped from Spike's mouth and flew into the gemstone.

"Oooh …" Sonata moaned, feeling her breasts jiggle and wobble as they increased and expanded in size, growing to the size of soccer balls.

Sonata climbed up on the bed, the mattress creaking as her weight was put on it. Spike opened his eyes to see what was going on, and wasn't expecting to see Sonata lying on top of him, her now-huge breasts swaying gently back and forth.

Sonata blushed. "Do you like them? I tried to ask around, but I wasn't sure what size you liked … I hope this is okay."

"Y-Yeah, no." Spike said. "They-they're great. No, really. They're … they're perfect, Sonata." Spike smiled at her. She smiled back.

"But, um, what are we doing again?"

"This is a reward for you!" Sonata leaned over as she explained, cupping Spike's chin. "For being such a good boyfriend for me, and showing me the path of the light."

"Oh. Um, okay. That- that's really nice, Sonata, but I don't know I'm ready for this." Spike said.

"You're not?" Sonata asked, confused.

"Yes! No. Maybe! I don't know. It's confusing." Spike said.

"Hmph." Sonata huffed and turned her head, only to smile. She smirked and swayed her body, making her breasts swing back and forth. "You know what, Spike? I think you are ready.

"W-why are you smiling?" Spike asked. "W-what makes you say that?"

"I can see a bulge in your paaaa-ants." Sonata sing-songed. She reared back and began to bring her breasts down.

"You wouldn't." Spike said.

Sonata flashed her teeth and lowered herself, bringing her chest down on Spike's zipper. Spike let out a moan.

"Okay, okay!"

Spike rose up.

"I'm just … nervous, okay?" Spike said. "This … this'll be the first time for me. At least, that I can remember, that wasn't done while I was under some kind of mind control, and I don't actually remember if anything like that happened and now that I'm talking about it I'm getting kinda paranoid about it. But … I'm ready, for sure."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to force you …" Sonata placed her hands on Spike's shoulders, pinning him. "Just seduce you."

Spike nodded. "I'm sure."

"Wonderful." Sonata leaned down. She and Spike closed her eyes as she lowered her lips onto Spike's for a kiss. They began to moan. Spike wrapped his arms around Sonata's back, her breasts digging into his pecs.

There was a knock on the door, and their eyes widened in alarm.

"Spike?" Twilight called from the other side. "The girls and I are going to a book-burning. We're going to burn that evil, wretched book. Do you want to come with?"

"Kind of busy in here, Twilight!" Spike exclaimed in dismay.

"Okay. Suit yourself!" Twilight waved. Spike heard the front door open and close seconds later. He briefly wondered how Twilight could bring herself to allow any book to burn, ever, even an evil one, before Sonata's chest quickly took his mind off the subject.

* * *

Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Twilight and Pinkie Pie, as well as Shining Armor, Celestia, Cadence, Sunset Shimmer and Fleur-de-lis made their way into the Pipe Slime's cave. It might have been an ordinary, innocent cave once, at least by the standards of the Everfree Forest, but now it would be forever known and tarred and marked as the Pipe Slime's dwelling.

"Hey …" Shining spoke to Fleur-de-lis. "Are you sure you want to be here for this? Would you rather be at home, relaxing with Fancypants? I realize this can be kind of tough, and I'm sure he'll worry about you doing this, so ..."

"I was affected by the slime as much as any of you." Fleur-de-lis said. "Maybe not for as long as some of you, or quite to the same degree, but that doesn't make my suffering any less valid. It doesn't make my hurt less real. I need to see this. I need this."

"Okay." Shining Armor nodded.

"Rarity, are you certain you left the book in here?" Celestia asked.

"Yes." Rarity said. "I tossed it around here, at the pit, and I made sure to avoid trouncing on it when I came out after my … merger with the new Slime. Ah, there it is."

Rarity ran towards the book sitting by the edge of the pit, lying right where she left it. A bit crushed from when she had stomped on it, but still an intact, readable book.

It could not be allowed to remain that way.

Rarity picked the book up off the ground.

"You know …" Twilight said. "Normally, I'd be against the burning of any book, but this one is so evil and wretched that I agree that it's completely warranted."

Shining Armor pulled out a match and handed it to Twilight. Twilight moved towards the book.

"Ahem." Rarity cleared her throat.

"Oh. Of course. Rarity, you and Rainbow Dash being the ones most affected by what happened here and the consequences, you should do the honors." Twilight moved aside, handing the match to Rarity. Rainbow Dash took the book and held it up.

Rarity struck the match, lighting against the thick cover of the book. She touched the lit match to the book's pages, and its paper began to burn and wilt. Dash handed her the book, and Rarity threw the book and the match down the pit.

Shining Armor, Cadence, and Fleur came forward, all holding up bundles of burnable material in their arms, from paper shreds to dry twigs. They all tossed their piles down the pit, where the fire made a boom as it spread and consumed, becoming a massive flame which lit up the inside of the pit. Smoke rose up from within while the flame crackled gently.

"Good riddance." Shining Armor bidded to the book.

Everyone stayed for a time to watch over the fire and ensure the book was thoroughly burned beyond repair, and also to keep the fire from getting out of control. Only once and after the flame had died down, and after the last embers of it burned and danced away until they put themselves out, having nothing but ash left for it to burn on, did any of them turn to leave. Shining Armor was the first one out, followed by Cadence and Celestia. Twilight and Pinkie Pie left after them, and Fluttershy lingered only a second longer than them. Sunset was the next to go, having all she wanted out of this place. Fleur, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity stood there by the empty pit for some time, watching the smoke rise as they contemplated what they had been through. By the time Fleur left, the smoke had begun to fade. Dash noticed her departure and put a hand on Rarity's shoulder, gently encouraging her they should leave as well.

Rarity cast one last look down the pit. She leaned over and spat into it, giving into her impulse to deliver one last spite, one last humiliation to the pit and the memory of what had been inside it. She joined Rainbow Dash in leaving, leaving it all behind. For good, they hoped.

* * *

Rarity and Rainbow Dash returned home.

Rarity let out a sigh. It felt like such a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She felt so relieved. The best part of it was, no one was ever going to have to live through and endure what she and Rainbow Dash had been through ever again.

"You coming to bed?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You go on, darling." Rarity said. "I want to freshen up first."

"Okay. Don't see why you need to do that before going to bed. We're all a mess in the morning. But I will be a _good husband_ and respect your decisions." Rainbow Dash bowed, and contrary to what Rarity was expecting, it didn't come across as mocking.

Dash left the room.

Rarity went into her workroom. She looked around, scanning for bottles of makeup and blush. Her eyes fell on her table. An idea came to her. It might even have compelled her, possessed her, because she once got the idea, she knew she wasn't going to stop until she had done it.

"Hmm … say …"

Rarity began rummaging through the house.

"I know I have … an old one of these … somewhere." Rarity grumbled, digging through her one of her closets and tossing anything that wasn't related to what she wanted aside. "Ah … here it is."

Rarity grunted, heaving an old model of typewriter out from her closet shelf. Grunting all the way she carried, she hefted the typewriter onto the table, where it fell down with a slam.

"Oof." Rarity lurched. This thing was heavy.

"Rrraaa …" A mutter came from upstairs.

Rarity grimaced. She hoped the typewriter slamming on the table hadn't woken up Rainbow Dash.

Rarity scooted out her chair and set down. She began to type into the machine. Her first words were the title.

The Life of Rarity Belle:

Sex and Seduction For The Greater Good

Rarity continued to write, clacking away on the typewriter's keys, until she had finished the introduction which would set out the basic premise of the book for the reader.

"Hmm." Rarity mused, drawing a blank for what would be her first words after the opening paragraph. "You know what?" Rarity snapped her fingers and got up. "I think I'm going to need some coffee for this."

Rarity went into the kitchen. She set up the coffee machine and had it make her a cup.

When she returned to the work room, holding a cup of coffee in her hands, using a towel to protect herself and keep the cup from burning her palm, she was blown away to see Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash all sitting or standing at the table, leaning over the typewriter.

"Wha-what are you all doing here?" Rarity asked, barely able to keep from dropping her cup.

"When you dropped this thing on the table, it woke me up." Rainbow Dash pointed at the typewriter. "So I came down here to investigate. I went over and looked at this thing, and when I saw what you were working on, I went out and gathered our friends as fast as I could so they could come over and proofread for it. Initially, I was gonna stop at just Twilight, but she convinced it'd be better to make an entire friendship affair between all of us."

"Well, I … I truly don't know what to say, darlings."

"Say you'll make us some coffee to help us as we bear through your terrible prose." Applejack quipped. Twilight smacked her on the back of the head.

"Actually, Rarity, you haven't written a whole lot yet, but we've already come up with some improvements that you could make."

"You have? Well, let's see… " Rarity returned to the table and took her seat. "What are they, then?"

"You're missing a period right here." Fluttershy pointed to the spot on the page where the missing period was.

"Okay." Rarity set the paper back and worked on making the changes.

"This sentence would read better if you would move this part over here." Twilight said, tracing her finger along the page.

"Oh, I see. That does make it look better, doesn't it?" Rarity observed.

"And then there's this part." Applejack said. "It's a bit flowery."

"Yeah." Dash smirked. "What, are you writing an autobiography, or an epic fantasy novel?"

"I have a flowery manner of speaking, darling." Rarity defended herself, crossing her arms.

"No, no." Twilight said. "She might have just been trying to get under your skin, Rarity, but Applejack has a point. If you introduce this kind of fancy talk this soon into the book before the readers have a chance to get familiar with you and comfortable with your manner of speaking, it might turn them off."

"Really? I … hadn't thought of that." Rarity put her hand to her chin.

"That's what we're here for." Twilight said.

So Rarity worked on her autobiography into the late hours of dusk, listening to and taking her friends' advice, their chatter about what to improve, what to say, and how to say it lasting long into the night.

The End.

* * *

**Author's Notes for "Antidote"**

**I had planned for a heroic sacrifice of Rarity in the end to signify the series was well and truly done and dead by killing off the main protagonist. Ultimately, ended up not doing that. It just didn't work out, and because when I was trying to think of the ending, ending on a sweet scene with a callback to Rarity's originally sarcastic remark seemed too good to not do.**

**I had planned for Suri to join the ex-monsters support group, reasoning she was still an ex-monster given her past of being a liar and thief, even if she was never transformed like the rest of them, but then it seemed to me that simply being in a role reversal with Coco Pommel was enough to signify the end of her arc and that she had come full circle.**

**Other Deleted Scenes Were:**

**Discord being just a slightly bigger help in Chapter 9 and justifying his presence in this story, as he would taken Rarity on a "Journey To The Center of Her Mind" which would have helped with the whole "realization and healing process" of hers and made a call back to Silver Lens' comment about seeing 'shards' when she looked at Rarity. Rarity would look into a mirror in Discord's vision and seen herself as 'shards,' which would have been punctuated by Discord holding up a vase and comparing to Rarity.**

**Another idea would have been Celestia coming to the girls in the middle of the story with Discord still imprisoned stone and tasking them with his reform. Drawing parallels to her experiences in this story, Rarity would have refused and tossed her Element of Harmony into a body of water to keep Discord from being allowed free. This would have caused some trouble with the rest of the girls.**

**I had thought about writing out a deleted scene showing what Sunset's entry into the story would have been like, but after some thought, I have decided not to do that. Basically, the gist of it is that she would have been too similar to Fleur in story role had I used that version - the way story is allows Sunset to be a more distinct entity while still serving as a member of Rarity's support group, which is ultimately better for the story as a whole. Her role as a villain is better, because again, she would have simpled copied Fleur's purpose otherwise, in being a monsterifed victim, who Rarity would come to after they were cured and try to help heal them - and thus heal herself in doing so.**

**Additionally, I tried (and failed) to write 'double duty dialogue' which made sense following from both the existing villain-Sunset version of the story and the non-existing non-villain Sunset version, but the way the dialogue has written out, it just makes too much mention of her villainous role for it to still make sense. I will liken to branching path that was supposed to have two roads, but only one destination, but only one road actually leads to the destination unless I'm willing to throw some dynamite at it (which I'm not).**

**Not to mention, The extra scene would cover old ground, with Honeycomb making Sunset lactate and her freaking out as she was turned into a bee - something which was covered in the story, and about the only thing left would be for Sunset to lactate honey, which I'm pretty sure she's done in the proper story already. So yeah, not enough point to it to justify the effort and time to write out this deleted scene.**

**So here we are. At the end. It's kind of bittersweet saying goodbye, but I'm glad that it's over and I'm proud to say that this story - and this series - is finished. I won't be making any more of it.**

**Especially given what happened to my now massively-swollen (and not always in a good way) first crossover story I wrote and published, which I am now dragging my heels out and trying to lock up and do away with after three years of starting the last story of that series. I don't want to go through that with this series, and as I've mentioned elsewhere … I'm more than ready to move on pony fanfiction.**

* * *

_"A Funny Thing Happened On Sunset's Way Back Home: Wanted to include this scene. Couldn't figure out how to work it smoothly into the main story._

Suri opened the door to the Ponyville Police Station. Nervous, she went inside. She worried they might have wanted to talk to her about her past plagiarism and other dirty tricks, or perhaps her treatment of Coco Pommel.

"This way." An officer directed her.

Suri was lead to a sparse room with three chairs and a desk. Sunset was sitting in one.

"Hey." Sunset waved her fingers at her.

"Hi there."

"Wait here for just a bit. The chief will be with you in a moment." The officer told them before leaving the room.

Suri pulled up a seat. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Well, I was on my way back home when I got a message telling me the Ponyville police needed to ask me a few questions."

"Really? I got the same message."

The door opened again. The chief entered the room and sat on the other side of the desk. Sunset and Suri became even more nervous.

"Good morning, officer." Suri saluted, trying to make a good impression.

"What can we do for you?" Sunset asked.

"I need to ask you ladies a couple of questions." The chief replied. "Specifically, about you kidnapping and dragging a woman against her will to a hotel room?"

"Oh." Suri nodded. "That. Um …"

"Well …" Sunset rubbed the back of her neck.

"You see, she was …"

"Listen." Sunset scooted her chair forward, the legs of the chair dragging across the ground. "Could I contact Princess Celestia? I'm … sort of an ex-student of hers, and we've already told her everything. She can explain everything about all this and clear this up."

The officer raised an eyebrow, skeptical of Sunset's claims of being so closely linked to the Princess. "Uh-huh … alright, I'll indulge you." He reached into his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment.

"Whoo." Sunset sighed in relief. It might take a while, but soon, she'd get her message to Celestia and she would come and explain what happened and sort this out.

* * *

**THE VERY DEFINITE REAL END THIS TIME.**


End file.
